The Benefits of Getting a Dog
There are a lot of benefits to getting a dog. I’m sure you don’t need convincing, but you might want to know them anyway. Maybe you need to convert a grumpy dad into saying yes to a dog in the house. We’ve got you covered. Simply recite these points and you’ll have a new furry addition like a German Shorthaired Pointer to the family in no time. But it’s important to remember that as much as we rely on them for unconditional affection and entertainment, they rely on us to take care of them just as much. For example, if your dog suffers from itching, paw licking, and mushy poops then you will want to change their food and try Dr. Marty or another food that is designed specifically to tackle health issues like these.
The Mental Health Benefits
There are endless benefits to keeping a dog. They are common emotional support pets for a reason. It’s practically baked into their personality. They are extremely loyal and loving, which means you know you have someone there who isn’t about to abandon you no matter how bad things get. That support can be invaluable.
On top of that, they’re very intuitive. They are going to know when you are upset and try to make you feel better. Because they are naturally loving and playful, they’re going to get those bad thoughts out of your mind whether you like it or not.
Dogs also force you to get out of the house and force you to stick to a routine: two things that tend to go out the door when you aren’t feeling your best and two things that will make a big difference in feeling better.
The Physical Benefits
It makes sense that introducing to the family a pet that needs your input to exercise would, in turn, force you to exercise. Depending on the breed you get, they can be low-energy, mid or high-energy, but you’ll be right along there with them getting into shape.
Long walks are the norm, but you can also get your dog involved with other forms of exercise. For one thing, there is a rise in doggie yoga, where you essentially use your small dog as a weight while you smoothly go in and out of positions.
There are a lot of exercises you can get your dog involved in. Depending on the breed, you can take them wild swimming with you, giving them the time of their lives and you an all-rounded cardio workout. The best swimmers are poodles, Labradors, Newfoundland, schipperkes, and retrievers of all kinds.
You can also have them follow you on a run or cycle or keep them company while going on a hike. If it’s active, chances are your dog will want to be involved.
The Practical Benefits
I mean, dogs can be trained to fetch the mail.
There are a lot of other benefits, but if you can convince a dog that a glass of wine is in the mail, you’ll never need to get up again.
In all seriousness, dogs can be trained to do a lot of odd jobs around the house. In fact, they’re happier that way, especially herding breeds like German shepherds and Border Collies that are used to having a full 9-5. This can come in handy if you’re not in the most mobile of states and need a little help here and there.
Conversely, if you are just starting life, dogs can be very helpful, too. A dog teaches children a lot of valuable characteristics. The biggest and easiest one to see is responsibility. Your little one will learn to know what it takes to keep a living being happy and healthy, including grooming, exercise, and feeding. If you’re worried about what to feed a dog with IBS, take a look at this guide.
A dog also teaches compassion from spending time with such a supportive and loyal creature, research shows they gain cognitive skills from talking to the dog (yes, really,) and your children will gain higher self-esteem from having a friend for life that thinks the sun shines out their smile and their newfound talents in caring for this friend.
The Trainable Benefits
And then there are the benefits that a dog’s talent can bring to the table. Did you know that dogs can be trained for a whole host of jobs beyond being guide dogs? Sure, there are sniffer dogs, shepherd’s dogs, and sled-pulling dogs, but there are talents that dogs can bring to the home, too.
Service dogs come in all shapes and sizes. If you or your loved one suffers from seizures, you can get a dog that can alert you when you are about to have one so you can get somewhere safe. We have no clue how they do this, but it is a big help. You can also get dogs for people with hearing impairments and mobility assistance dogs if someone at home has those issues. They do need to be trained to do these two from birth, so you might need to invest.
And then, of course, there are therapy dogs, which simply fulfill their role by being the cutest, good boys and sharing all the mental health benefits that come with them.
