While having a dog might seem stressful and burdensome at times, many studies prove that owning a dog can be very beneficial for the owner. Studies have shown that people who own dogs tend to be happier and are better able to deal with stress.
Pets have been shown to be able to enhance the mood of their owners. Think about it, when you get home from work and are feeling down, seeing your dog and their love for you as they wait for you to enter the house can really lift your spirits.
In fact, in a recent study of AIDS patients, those people who had pets were only about 50% more likely to report symptoms of depression than people who did not have AIDS. However in AIDS patients that did not have pets, they were three times as likely to report symptoms of depression as someone who did not have AIDS.
Pets have also been shown to help control blood pressure as well. And one of the biggest benefits of owning a dog it is that it encourages you to get out and exercise more as well.
Think about it, if you didn’t have a dog would you get up in the morning and go for a walk, probably not. Having a dog forces you to go for a walk at least a couple times a day, which is more than probably 90% of the rest of America.
Pets are also a good source of unconditional love and can help prevent loneliness in people who are living alone. So as you can see everyone needs a dog.
