5 Mental Health Benefits of Owning a Dog

The saying “A dog is a man’s best friend” is much more than a saying. Sayings exist for a reason and this one can be backed up with a lot of facts. Lots of families see their family dog exactly as such; as a part of their family. The dog is not only there to protect a house, but they can also be a full-fledged member of the household. Either way, some people don’t realize that pups can be much more than that.

Many studies show that dogs have a greater effect on our lives than we may think. People who have them are actually more mentally stable than people without pets are. They are also physically fit and suffer from fewer illnesses. If you don’t have a dog, maybe it is finally time to consider getting one.

If you do want to get one make sure that you get a quality pet and avoid puppy mills. There are actually a lot of downsides when it comes to these types of dogs as they are not brought up in quality conditions. A far better solution would be finding a good breeder and getting a puppy there. When searching for puppies for sale, you should check websites like Wuuff.dog where you can find a reputable breeder. That is the only and certain way that you get a healthy and sociable puppy.

What are the actual benefits of owning a pooch? As we said, there are many and the ones that are particularly beneficial for a person’s mental state are the most important. Here are some ways that dogs can help us have healthier lives.

1. Dogs Lower Stress Levels

Pets are probably the best stress relievers in the world. Studies have shown multiple times that petting and playing with pet releases hormones that relieve our stress levels. The hormones that our bodies release are serotonin and dopamine and they are usually released when we pet a dog or a cat, calming us down at the same time.

These hormones affect the nervous system and generally calm us down. Playing with a pooch will simulate happiness in our brains which will, in turn, release the hormones in our bodies. Surprisingly enough, this happens within the first five minutes of petting a dog.

2. Dogs Increase Longevity

Another thing that dogs help us with is enabling us to live longer. Specifically when trying to come back from a traumatic experience. This works both for physical harm and mental anguish. Dogs will help us recover and live longer after the harmful effect that has transpired.

There are many such cases with people who had heart attacks and also people who suffered from PSTD. In both cases, they were able to recover faster and led better and longer lives.

3. Dogs Help Create Healthy Habits

Pets take care of us even when we are taking care of them. Man’s best friend needs a lot of care and you need to take them out regularly and make sure that they exercise. But at the same time, you are doing it for their benefit you are at the same time doing it for yourself. Creating healthy habits without knowing it is something that only our pets can offer us.

Going for a walk or a hike or even a stroll around the block is enough to keep you physically fit. But it also enables you to clear your mind. You will forget about the problems you have and will just focus on spending your time with your  pooch. Exercising is another way of dealing with mental problems and in this case, it benefits both our bodies and soul.

4. Dogs Improve Relationship Skills

One of the things that affect people’s mental state is the lack of a social connection. People who are suffering from these types of problems cannot easily connect with other people. But studies have shown that man’s best friend is very much capable of improving social skills and enabling people to develop them, especially in these types of situations.

This is why it is good to give children pets, especially dogs, so they develop their social skills early on. People who have social anxiety and communication problems will, in a way, learn from their pets and feel much looser in various social situations.

5. You Will be Less Lonely and Have more Self Esteem

The worst thing that can happen to a person with mental health problems is being lonely. This could even lead to depression and all kinds of unforeseen conditions. In order to avoid that you can get a dog as your faithful companion. The pup will never say “No” to you and will always be there to support you.

But when it comes to these cases, dogs can be even more beneficial. They can also raise your self-esteem and make feel good about yourself. You will be able to get out of the house more and will make more friends with a fido. Scientists often say that children with low self-esteem should get a pooch as it will improve their confidence significantly.

Dogs have been people’s companions for ages now. They have always been by our sides. First to help us hunt and then as fitful sidekicks at our sides. Famous rulers always took pictures with their pups and there are many instances when dogs saved people’s lives.