8 scientifically proven reasons to get a dog

1. The heart will be healthier

Dog owners are smallerDog Ownership and Survival risk dying from cardiovascular disease. And all thanks to regular cardio exercises. You can skip the running workout, but not the dog walk. In the snow and in the heat, you have to take a leash and leave the house. Even lazy trampling from foot to foot while your pet searches for the right bush is already contributing to heart health. What can we say about long hikes and activities with the dog.

This beneficial effect is even more pronounced for people who have suffered a heart attack or stroke. For them, the appearance of a dog reduces the risk of death from diseases of the cardiovascular system by 31%.

2. Immunity will become stronger

Petting and squeezing a dog is not only pleasant, but also useful. Even short meetings with pets canEffect of petting a dog on immune system function. positively affect your immune system. Unlike the advertised fuflomycins, it really works. If you get a dog, you can strengthen your immune system at least every day.

3. You will improve your fitness

Dog owners are on average more fit and physically activeDog walking is associated with a favorable risk profile independent of moderate to high volume of physical activity. and less prone to obesityPhysical Activity, Weight Status, and Neighborhood Characteristics of Dog Walkersthan their peers without these pets. In old age, dog lovers walkElderly people in many respects benefit from interaction with dogs faster and longer, and even more mobile at home.

4. You will suffer less from stress

Communicating with your dog helps calmness, lowers the stress hormone cortisol, and increases happiness and energy. Even short-term contact with an animal helpsPetting away pre-exam stress: The effect of therapy dog ​​sessions on student well-being cope with negative emotions, such as pulling yourself together before an exam.

5. You will make new friends

Making new friends as adults not so easy, but the presence of an animal expands the circle of acquaintances. Almost halfHaving a dog helps you make friends, study finds dog lovers found new friends while walking with their pets. And in general, people are more positive towards a person.How To Find Love: Study Suggests Dog Walking Helps Brits Meet Partners And Lifelong Friendsif there is a dog next to him.

6. It will be easier for you to deal with the pain

Dogs can be so effective at this that they are partly a substitute for medication. For example, patients who have been in contact with dogs after joint replacement surgery requiredThe Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Pain Medication Use After Joint Replacement 28% fewer painkillers than those to whom no therapeutic animals were brought.

7. You won't feel lonely

As we have already found out, the dog helps to find new friends, so if the owner of the animal is alone, then not for long. And until he makes new acquaintances, the dog will not let him fall into despondency. ResearchCompanion dog acquisition and mental well-being: a community-based three-arm controlled study show that due to daily interactions with a pet, a person is less sad and depressed. In general, pets stabilize mood and reduce the risk of depression.

8. You will live longer

Dogs don't just make you healthier. Dog owners have 24% lower mortality from any causeDog Ownership and Survival. Scientists made such a conclusion after examining the results of 10 studies. They have been held since the middle of the last century and have reached 3.6 million people from eight countries.