Are you thinking about getting a dog but not quite decided — and looking for something to help you stop sitting on the fence?
Or maybe you’re trying to persuade your family members that bringing a dog home is the right thing to do, and you need some ammunition to back up your arguments!
Or maybe you just love the dog sitting next to you right now, and want to read them something that will make them feel good?
We’ve got you covered! Here are our top ten reasons why you should own a dog.
Entertainment
Let’s face it, dogs are hilarious. Whether it’s the silly expressions they make, their happy doggy grin with their tongue hanging out, or how they can chase their tail for what seems like hours at a time, it’s almost as though they were specifically designed to be the court jesters of our households!
Safety
Larger dog breeds are often sought after for their trainability as guard dogs. But even smaller dogs, or breeds that aren’t known for their guarding tendencies, have an inborn desire to protect their human family.
We always recommend training your dog for safe guarding, and socializing them with other animals, people, and especially children. But there’s no doubt about it that having a dog around makes us feel much more confident and safe, whether we’re at home or traveling.
Faster Recovery From Illness
Did you know that having a dog can actually improve the recovery rate after surgery or sickness? How about the fact that dogs can help us deal with tragedies or losses?
Dogs are incredibly therapeutic animals. The research into why they’re so beneficial to ill humans is still being carried out, but it’s a cinch that petting an animal is soothing and relaxing — both of which are contributors to lessened anxiety and better health overall.
Responsibility
Adopting a dog is an excellent way to teach a child about responsibility — or an adult, if you know someone who still needs some lessons in the subject!
While we often talk about training our pets, it’s a fact that they train us in turn: to be thoughtful, plan ahead, and cultivate responsibility.
Improves Physical Well-Being
Your dog can make you better in a lot of ways, but one of the main benefits is in your physical health and well-being. We already talked about how dogs help us to recover faster from illnesses; they also can help ward off some conditions!
People with dogs tend to be more active, since dogs need exercise and plenty of play time. They also are more likely to enjoy emotional health, which we’ll talk about next.
Emotional Stability
Here’s a plain and simple fact: dogs make us happy.
The research bears this out. Some studies have found, for instance, that dog owners tend to be less depressed, less lonely, and have higher self-esteem than those without dogs. I can personally vouch for the fact that my dog cut down on my anxiety and helped me to focus on the positive.
Helps To Build Patience
Remember how we mentioned that our dogs make us better people by making us more responsible?
Another aspect of that is the building of an important life skill: patience.
It’s easy to be patient with a dog. If humans were as cute as puppies, we’d probably be more patient with them, too.
But if you have a dog, it helps to train your brain to be more patient and less abrupt. Your human friends, family, co-workers, and even total strangers may end up benefiting because you have a dog.
Loyalty
We live in some crazy times, and with the uncertainty of day to day life, it’s a huge deal to find something that you can rely on, day in and day out.
That something may just be your dog.
Dogs are very reliable animals, with the same personality day to day. They’re well known for their loyalty to their favorite humans. And in the “interesting times” we’re living in, that loyalty may be just what you need!
Boosts Socializing
Socialization took a hit over the last year and a half, but as things start to change again, we can go back to another big benefit of owning a dog: people with dogs tend to socialize more easily and frequently than those without.
There’s a practical reason for this. If you have a dog, you take them for walks and to the park. There, you meet other people with dogs. It’s only natural to talk to other dog parents — which is socializing!
On top of that, having a dog makes us more likely to ask others about their dogs. And displaying interest in others is one of the best ways to build a new friendship. And it’s all because of your dog!
They Can Save Lives
Dogs make us happy, keep us healthy, balance us out — and they can save lives.
Not only by helping us to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but also because dogs can be trained as service animals for people with health issues or disabilities. Dogs are well known to be the most frequently-used animal to assist those with limited sight, for instance.
Dogs can also be trained as emotional support animals, and even to sniff out certain ailments and diseases, such as cancer or a potential heart issue.
Dogs are also commonly used as search and rescue animals.
If you needed just one more reason to own a dog, it doesn’t get much better than this: your dog could literally save your life! And even if she doesn’t, she’ll definitely help to make your life worth living.
