January 13, 202212 Human Foods That Are Actually Healthy and Safe for Your Dog - Everything You Need to Know

Owning A Dog Can Really Help You Be Healthier

Whether you’re a dog owner or volunteer, spending time with canine companions will not only make you happier but also healthier. Ongoing research is showing that owning a dog can be a great key to promoting a healthy lifestyle, leading to a better quality of life. Well, adopting healthy lifestyle changes can help you be calmer, more mindful, more physically active and more present in your life.

Therefore, we surveyed 500 dog owners and consulted with a pet expert to find out how owning a dog can help you make a healthy lifestyle.

With their help, we put together this list of 6 healthy lifestyle changes accompany dogs. By the time you have finished reading, you will know how many ways a dog can help you develop a healthy lifestyle.

Let’s begin…

1. Dogs Increase Opportunities to Exercise

Owning a dog can be a fun and rewarding way to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. After all, our furry, canine friends need exercise, too, and they appreciate any time outside, whether you're hiking, jogging, or walking at a comfortable pace.

A year-long study at the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago found that people with dogs are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than those without canine companions. 

Actually, 69 percent of dog owners we surveyed confirmed that they fit in 150 minutes of walking per week. This doesn't only mean they're getting more exercise than those who walk with other humans or alone, but also are getting better quality exercise (walking faster and sometimes covering more mileage).

In turn, exercising every day is great for the dog as well. Taking dogs for a walk, hike, or run, as shown in a study from the University of Virginia, can deepen the connection between you, eradicate most behavior problems in dogs, and keep your furry friends fit and healthy.

2. Dogs Provide Companionship

Broadly speaking, companionship can help prevent illness and even add years to your life, while isolation and loneliness can trigger symptoms of depression. Evidence shows that the companionship of dogs is one of the potential sources of social support that could help prevent loneliness and isolation, which is key in staving off cognitive decline and disease.

According to recent scientific studies completed by animal-assisted therapists have proven that having a dog to take care of can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live by yourself or you're not surrounded by family members and friends. Not to mention, many dog owners talk to their dogs, some even use them to to get through personal crises.

Similarly, we collected data from 500 dog-owners we surveyed and found that most respondents said that their dogs helped them to get through tough times (COVID-19 pandemic as an example); the healthy interaction with and unconditional love received from their companion dogs has helped them stay positive and happy.

After all, nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail.

3. Dogs Help You Meet New People

Think about it. Whether you're out walking your dog, volunteering at a shelter or if you run into a cute pup in the street, having a dog gets you talking and not just to the dog but other people and dogs as well.

As pet experts say, a dog is a conversation waiting to happen. In fact, almost half of dog owners we surveyed reported that they befriend people in their neighborhoods, other dog walkers, or strangers on their rambles through a dog-related connection. Pet stores, clubs, and training classes are also common places where dog parents meet new people.

Owning a dog, writes Dr. Lisa Wood, associate professor at the University of Western Australia, and her colleagues in PLoS One, appears to be a significant factor for facilitating social interaction and creating human-to-human friendships, both of which are good for long-term health.

In similar veins, quite a few studies have found that the social support (advice, favor, information...) dog owners receive from people they first got to know through their furry canine friend can improve their quality of life, adding years to their life.

4. Dogs Help Reduce Anxiety

Spending just a few minutes with a pet, especially dogs, can actually offer comfort, help ease anxiety and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world, according to Harvard Health.

Well, 40 percent of dog owners we surveyed support this fact, explaining that when performing stressful tasks or just dealing with consistent stress of life, they do better when their dogs are around.

To the best of our knowledge, dogs can also help you become more mindful and appreciate the joy of the present; they tend to live in the moment, and they don’t think about the future or the past.

5. Dogs Add Structure and Routine to Your Day

It’s widely believed that people with dogs are more organized and disciplined, largely because dogs, as routine creatures, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. 

Indeed, establishing a routine for your dog keeps him balanced and calm, but even more important; you will also benefit from regular routines. I mean, when structuring your dog's day-to-day life, you will actually develop a routine that matches your lifestyle. And this makes you more likely to stick to your daily schedules.

In fact, a significant number of dog owners shares that one plaintive look from their dogs can give them a reason to really get out of bed and take care of them, even when they're not feeling well emotionally or physically. 

6. Dogs Provide Sensory Stress Relief

Touch and movement have been known to quickly manage stress. It has been scientifically proven that stroking a dog can lower blood pressure and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine. This two neurochemicals play big roles in calm and well-being. 

As a side bonus, the cute, cuddly, four-legged animals provide a reason to laugh; the antics and varied tricks of these lovable animals causes many to laugh and smile, and laughter has been known to relieve stress and increase happiness.

Are you on the road to a healthier way of living? As simple as that get a dog...Dogs are great for your body and spirit, too.