5 Ways Dogs Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Having a four-legged friend can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life! There is nothing like waking up to a smiling face and wagging tail. The unconditional love you receive from your dog can make all the difference on a bad day. They bring so much joy and happiness to your life without even trying, which is why we feel everyone deserves a furry friend at least once in their lifetime. Not only can dogs bring pure joy to your day, they also can help improve your quality of life in many ways!
Here are 5 ways that your loving pup can improve the quality of your life:
Dogs can increase your social interactions.
Dogs don’t only love to interact with their humans. For the most part, dogs are very friendly, social animals. They love to be outdoors with other dogs (and animals) interacting and playing with one another. This means that you, their human, will have a chance to socialize during these outings. Having a pup is a great way for you both to get out, get moving, and meet new people! If you already have a dog you know that even going on a walk in the neighborhood can attract many new friends and interesting conversations!
Dogs can improve your physical well-being and help promote a healthy and more physical lifestyle.
Both you and your dog require daily exercise. Even if you are not training for the next marathon, it is important that you and your pup get out everyday, even if it’s for a nice walk around your neighborhood. Fresh air and daily exercise can help promote things like a more active lifestyle, happier moods, and better blood flow, just to name a few.
Dogs can increase your mood and help decrease your stress.
Playing with your pup can increase your brain’s dopamine and serotonin levels, which are neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and tranquility. Studies have shown that spending just 30 minutes with your dog can help you feel more relaxed, less stressed, and can actually increase your happiness. Even petting your dog can help reduce your blood pressure and aid in you feeling more calm. So, next time you’re having a bad day or need a little pick-me-up, we suggest dedicating some time with your dog to turn that frown upside down!
Dogs can help you recover from an injury or illness faster.
It has been proven that people with dogs have a much higher rate of recovery from an injury or illness than people who don’t have dogs. Dogs have a way of comforting you when you’re down and making you feel better no matter what the situation is. When people are recovering with dogs by their side, their mood is better, they’re more positive and their spirits are lifted, and they are more determined to recover and faster!
Dogs Make Excellent Service/Alert animals.
Whether your or a family member has special needs or you just need an extra set of eyes for your kids, a dog can be a great addition to your family and can help keep everyone safe. When trained properly, dogs can make excellent service companions for people with disabilities. They can be trained to bring medication, detect an approaching epileptic seizure, and much more. If you have children, dogs are a great extra set of eyes, always alert and curious as to what they are up to and staying out of what could be potentially dangerous situations. We aren’t recommending you let the babysitter go, but they are definitely great to have around for some extra safety.
There are so many more reasons as to how a dog can improve the quality of your life. We just listed a few that we feel are important to call out. If you’re in the process of deciding whether to get a dog or not, we hope some of these points help persuade your decision. If you have a dog and are feeling down and need a change, but don’t know where to start, just look at your four legged friend with that wagging tail and big smile and give them a hug! Take them for a walk, or to your local dog park. The little things will make a huge difference when you have your dog by your side!
