Ft Lauderdale Area’s Top Vet Offers 4 Ways Dog Ownership Can Improve Your Well-Being
Many people think that owning a pet will do nothing but increase stress. The pet will need food, attention, care, and vet visits, which increase costs and make any outing more difficult. However, dog owners have actually been proven to live longer, happier, and healthier lives. Here are a few reasons you should consider taking a trip to your local animal shelter:
Exercise Requirement
All dogs, even the tiny ones, need regular exercise. This demand to either go out to a yard and play fetch or go out on a walk will keep you active and healthy by insisting that you get up and get out. A daily walk with your dog may not be an hour at the gym but even just getting up to take a stroll in the mornings can make you feel noticeably better and may actually improve your sleep. You can always walk other people’s dogs as well.
Smiling, throwing a ball for your dog, and laughing when they make a silly face may not do your body the same good a walk will but is does do your mind good. Smiling can actually make you feel happier as can laughing and, with a dog, every day brings a smile or a laugh.
Social Opportunities
Social interaction is extremely important for your mental and emotional well-being as humans are social animals. It can be tough to find an excuse to go out alone, however when you have a dog, you never have to go out alone.
Each day your dog brings you outside for a walk or a jaunt to the dog park, they are offering you innumerable social opportunities. They bring you out into the public eye and provide a ready-made icebreaker. You can bond with other dog owners or strike up a love-struck stranger who has stopped to pet your dog. Dogs bring you out and draw people in.
Unconditional Love
Another hugely beneficial aspect of owning a dog is the unconditional love they provide. Dogs can alleviate depression simply by waiting to greet you when you get home. Coming home to an empty house can aggravate preexisting depression as can a lack of affection. Dogs, regardless of what kind of person you are. A dog can serve as a warm cuddle buddy to curl up and watch your favorite TV shows with, which can do wonders for your mental well-being.
Stress Reduction
Dog owners have been shown to have lower blood pressure and a decreased risk of heart disease. Simply owning a dog acts as a stress reducer. The combination of love, exercise, and humorous antics makes a dog a ready-made companion with the added benefits of limiting your stress and improving your mood.
Furthermore, the act of caring for another living thing can ramp up your desire to live healthier and be better. Tending to your dog’s needs and seeing them blossom under your care is a reward in itself, acting as a wonderful way to decrease symptoms of several mental illnesses.
If you needed another reason to go out and adopt a dog, consider that dog ownership can help you live a longer, happier life in a multitude of ways. A dog will force you to stay active; they will love you no matter what, and they will help you meet potential new friends simply by going to the park.
Though dogs can complicate your life and, of course, require money for their food and care, the benefits of becoming a pet owner far outweigh the negatives. Somewhere near you, a shelter dog is waiting to make your life better. Get up and head to your nearest animal shelter to find your new best friend.
Image via Pixabay by taniadimas