What did we ever do to deserve dogs? They constantly love you with all of their fur-being. Our slobbery ball of fur joy provides us with an emotionally safe space- 100% judgment-free zone, which means they’ll love us no matter what we do or how many days we go without taking a shower. Our dogs will patiently wait all day by the door while we are away at work, running errands, or with friends. Once they hear those jingling keys, without fail, they’re instantly at our feet, enthusiastically greeting us with love and excitement. Here are 5 reasons why adopting a dog will actually improve your quality of life by boosting your health and happiness.
Access to unlimited love.
Once you adopt a pup into the family, you’ll never come home to an empty house. Instead, you’ll have an overly excited fur baby waiting to greet you with a million slobbery kisses and hugs. With every kiss, hug and cuddle session, you and your pup will be producing a flood of oxytocin. Reported by Psychology Today, oxytocin is known as “the love hormone” which underlies the foundation of trust and is an antidote to depressive feelings. It’s basically the hormone that acts as a chemical messenger, letting our brains know that we are loved! Adopt a pup for a lifetime of unconditional love. Bring on the oxytocins!
Live a more healthy and active lifestyle.
Forget the treadmill, adopt a dog! Your new furry best friend may also be your favorite workout buddy. Several studies show that dogs are great motivators to get their owners to move more and move often. Those daily walks/runs are great for the heart health of both you and your pup. According to Huffington Post, a Michigan State University study found that dog owners are 34 percent more likely to walk 150 minutes per week over non-dog owners. Rescuing a dog will help you cultivate healthy and active habits to fit into your daily routine. Plus, your furry workout buddy will never bail on you ;) Adopting a dog entails being loved and getting fit. It’s the perfect win-win situation!
Build a stronger immune system!
Introducing a dog to your family will help develop a stronger and happier you from the inside out. The rest of your family will also reap the health benefits. Our immune systems naturally fight off potentially harmful germs and bacterias that are exposed to our bodies. Allergic reactions are responses produced by your immune system when it misidentifies normal matter such as dust to be a threat. Published by Huffington Post, children who are exposed to a dog as babies are at lower risk for developing allergies and asthma. A PNAS study led by researchers at UC San Francisco and the University of Michigan found that living with a dog changes the makeup of our gut microbes by exposing our bodies to a variety of germs from our four-legged friend. Thank your dog for saving your wallet from a doctor’s visit/s by helping your immune system build a stronger defense structure. Spend time with your dog each day will keep the doctor away!
Lower your stress levels.
Life can get a bit hectic when you’re juggling to fill multiple roles. Dogs have a magical calming effect on us after a long day of work. Just spending time with your pup could increase levels of oxytocin in your brain, which helps lower the stress-producing hormone cortisol (according to Huffington Post.) Snuggling up with your pup or playing a game of tag or fetch with them may help relieve some of the stress built up from your day.
Make new friends!
Walking your adorable four-legged friend around the neighborhood will definitely have people smiling your way. Your cute furry pal is a great conservation starter which may help you meet a new friend or two during your daily walking routine. According to Life Hack, dog lovers love people which means you’re bound to make new friends with your pup by your side. Take your dog out to your local dog park to meet new friends that also share your immense love for dogs!
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