Living with a dog brings us many benefits. It is good for our health, it helps us to be in a good mood and with it we feel accompanied and protected. As we all know, the dog is man’s best friend , and in this article we will talk about everything that his presence in our homes brings us.
Gives us company
In today’s society, many people feel lonely. We live in big cities, surrounded by thousands of people, but the feeling of loneliness does not leave us. There is nothing better than the love of a dog to feel accompanied and loved. When he gets home he will always wait for us with his joy, and after a hard day at work he will not hesitate to sit next to us to rest on the sofa.
Give us your protection
Dogs would give their lives for their owners, and if they put their mind to it, they can be true heroes. There are many, many cases in which the dog has saved people from different dangers, there is even news of female dogs that have saved newborn babies abandoned in the garbage by their own mothers.
The simple presence of a dog in the home can deter thieves from entering. This is because the dog’s good ear allows it to realize long before we do that something is happening and bark to warn us.
We can also find trained dogs with multiple objectives:
- Fire alert: They are dogs that when they smell the smoke they bark to warn us.
- Protection of victims of gender violence : The presence of the dog can make battered women much safer and feel protected.
- Alert for gas leaks: Their good sense of smell allows them to detect the smell of gas and wake us up.
There are even training projects in several of the above fields to facilitate the adoption of abandoned dogs.
Helps us have a more active life
Although going for a walk with our dog sometimes makes us lazy, one of the most important benefits of having a dog at home is that it helps us to be less sedentary.
Studies show that a 20-minute walk a day can reduce the risk of premature death by 30% in less active people. In addition, exercise reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity , diabetes and many more problems.
This aspect is very important in older people, who tend to stay locked up at home. For them, having a dog not only gives them the company they may lack, their pet helps them to go out, socialize and exercise.
Has therapeutic effects
Perhaps it is one of the most unknown benefits of having a dog at home. There are many studies that link the presence of a dog with health benefits.
Dog owners have a lower risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. This is not only due to the reduction of sedentary lifestyle, having a dog and spending time with him has been shown to reduce stress. By being more relaxed we feel better and our body works in a healthier and more beneficial way.
As if all the above were not enough, there are trained dogs to help people with special needs. We can find examples of dogs that know how to detect the smell of breast or prostate cancer. There are also animals that can tell if their owner has a low blood sugar. Other dogs are capable of predicting epileptic seizures, and they know how to act to help their owner in this situation. And finally we can find the famous guide dogs, who help blind people to move around the city and make their life a little easier.
Helps us to be happy
For all of the above and for many other things, the dog really contributes to our happiness. Several studies highlight that people who live with a dog are happier than those who do not. And not only that, dog owners have a lower risk of suffering from depression and are more likely to overcome it.
The bond that is established between a dog and its owner is really strong . Looking at our best four-legged friend causes oxytocin to be released in our brain. This hormone is the same that is produced when a mother is with her child, and is responsible for generating positive feelings. Therefore, the simple presence of the dog by our side is already capable of contributing to the improvement of our mood.
