If you have been on the fence about owning a pet, are you aware of the health and wellness benefits of bringing a furry friend into your home? Pet ownership is a great responsibility, and you will likely find your life will change in many ways once you decide to go ahead with this choice. Whether you adopt your pet or want a puppy from https://chocolatelabradorretriever.ca/silver-lab-puppies-the-411/, you can expect your life to change in many ways. Read on to learn more.

Increased Exercise

Dogs need to walk every day. Sometimes more than once a day, depending on the breed and their energy levels. If you have a larger breed, such as a Rottweiler, or a working breed, like the border collie, they will need to go out and about more often than smaller breeds and will likely need less exercise.

When you take your dog out, you will also benefit from being outdoors via increased exposure to vitamin D and exercise from walking. You can take your exercise steps up a notch by taking your dog on adventures and hikes to explore your local area; you will work out alongside your four-legged pooch.

It’s not just walking can do with your dog; you can go on runs together, take agility classes, engage in mantrailing, which is the sport of using a dogs nose or sniffing out a person who is hiding by identifying their scent and even go swimming together; spaniels, labradors, golden retrievers, and Newfoundlands are all water dogs would enjoy water based activities.

New Skills

Raising a dog and caring for them can be a lot of work, and you will need to learn many new things you might not have thought about before. Learning new skills can help to keep your mind sharp and keep you mentally fit and active.

From training your dog to learning more about the breed, researching health issues and conditions, and paying attention to their behavior, there are many different things to know about when it comes to dog ownership. By entirely investing yourself in this experience, you can learn a whole host of new skills and information and be the best owner you can be.

Increased Mental Health

Pets can provide much-needed companionship, which is vital for people who live alone or don’t have many friends or much family. This companionship has been proven to increase mental health in dog owners. A study of dog owners suggested that dogs can help to improve mental health, and they reported reduced anxiety levels, stress, and depression. While they are not an overall cure for mental health issues, being able to love and receive love from a dog, get out and get more regular exercise and simply interact with your pet can go a long way to reducing mental health issues.

Increased Social Circles

While this might not be true for all dogs, those with furry friends who like to socialize with other dogs can benefit from the increased social activity, which is instrumental in reducing loneliness. By engaging with other dog owners who are also out and about with their pets, you can easily meet like-minded others in dog parks, on popular walking routes, or using the same doggy care, for example. If you don’t like to socialize in person, creating social media accounts to share your pet’s adventures can introduce you to a community around our chosen dog breed and allow others with similar accounts and interests to engage with you.

Improved Immune System

Did you know that babies who live in homes with dogs often have more robust immune systems and experience fewer colds and illnesses than those without? While it might not seem it initially, the fact that dogs outside frequently mean they track more dirt and germs into your home. These additional germs can help you to increase your immunity and that of any children at home, resulting in fewer illnesses.

Illness Detectors

Dogs have the most amazing skills, and their sense of smell is second to none. They detect even the most minor changes in scent emitted from you, which can indicate serious illnesses or health conditions. Many pet owners have attested to the fact they discovered cancer early due to their pet constantly pawing, sniffing, or licking at the site of a hidden tumor. So if you own a dog and notice they are paying particular attention to one part of your body or seem overly agitated in your presence, they may be trying to alert you to a health issue you should get checked out. They can be literal lifesavers.

Remember, there is a reason dogs are trained as medical assistance dogs, and they can use their unique abilities to support owners with a range of health conditions, such as recognizing changes in heart conditions, helping owners with POTS, diabetes, epilepsy, and more.

Increased Safety

Regardless of the breed of dog your own, you can benefit from the increased safety having a dog offers you. There are some breeds of dogs that are excellent guard dogs, such as the German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Bullmastiff, and Belgian Malinois, and you can train them in security behaviors to help protect you from intruders; all breeds of dogs can help you feel less alone and offer you an additional elve of security for your person should you need it. 

Dogs can be highly protective of their owners, and should you be worried or scared, they will be there to support you.

Incredible love and happy memories

Dogs bring unconditional love to their owners, as well as tons of happiness. Having a dog in your life will bring some incredible memories and whether you care for your dog alone, with a partner or with a family, they will be the missing piece of the puzzle that is your life. Dogs are only on this earth for a short time, and building happy memories with them ensures they live the best life. And when the sad time comes when they’re no longer with us, those memories will live on. Honoring your treasured pets with bronze headstones, paintings and even jewelry is a great way to remember them and all of the love you shared. Losing a pet is a sad time, but knowing they had an incredible life will make all the difference.