Nearly every pet parent wishes that their four-legged family member could go on more adventures with them. Why? Because pets bring out the best in us! Owning a pet consists of much more than just taking in a cute animal because they can change your life for the better. Here are some of the top benefits of owning a pet.
#1 – Pets Prevent Loneliness
Loneliness can take a toll on a human’s health, potentially leading to serious conditions like heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Living alone can be difficult for many people to bear, which is why animals can take away from that loneliness. Plus, rejection from friends, family, and relationships is never easy to shake off, but animals won’t turn their backs on you.
After all, animals give you something worthwhile to come home to. You’ll feel more loved and appreciated if you have a dog running to greet you every time you come home. That’s why studies show that pet parents are 36% less likely to be lonely than humans without four-legged family members. Additionally, traveling with your pet and going on adventures with them can also help you feel less alone.
#2 – Pets Teach You Responsibility
For many adults, motivation can be difficult to come by. If you’re only doing things on your own behalf, it’s easy to blow them off if the going gets tough. But with pets, you’ll have another creature’s life in your hands. That should encourage you to take more responsibility for your actions.
When you have a pet, it’s up to you to make sure that animal gets fed, cleaned up after, and loved on a regular basis. It’s a big role to take on, but your pet’s love, devotion, and cuteness is often well worth the extra effort. Learning to be responsible for a pet is often the first step to learning to take responsibility in your own life.
#3 – Pets Can Decrease Your Blood Pressure
According to the CDC, pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. This is because most pets require an abundance of exercise and playtime, which can’t be avoided. Pets can help get you in the habit of paying closer attention to your own health.
Walking your dog on a regular basis and actively playing with your pets can help you stay in shape and keep your heart healthy. You might think that this exercise and playtime is only to keep your dog content, but you can actually reap the benefits too. You’ll also likely spend a lot of time thinking about your pet’s health, which could encourage you to take better care of your own wellbeing too.
#4 – Pets Help You Socialize
Pets happen to be one of the easiest and most common conversation starters. Any two people can easily bond just based on the fact that they both own pets. Not only that, but pets can get us out and about more, which allows us to meet new people. Training classes, dog parks, outdoor restaurants, and even social media pages can help people talk to others about animals. It’s a large community that can help both you and your dog make friends.
#5 – Pets Make You Stay Active
Keeping an exercise routine can be difficult on your own. If you’re not feeling it, you can easily bail on visiting the gym or going on a run. With a dog, you can’t neglect exercising though. You made a commitment when you first brought your pet home, so it’s harder to avoid that daily exercise.
Dogs need to be walked on a regular basis in order to get their energy out, explore their surroundings, and relieve themselves. It might sound like a pain at first, but it can give you some good habits too. Scheduling walks can help both you and your pet stay active, and you can’t get out of it as easily. This is just another way that pets can benefit a human’s health.
#6 – Pets Keep You Alert
People who own pets often feel more alert. This is likely because over time, you become accustomed to paying attention to your dog’s needs. For example, you’ll notice exactly when your dog is acting unusual, such as when they’re feeling ill or experiencing anxiety. Thus, pets teach us to pick up on smaller details in life, which can help pet parents become more alert and observant in their daily lives.
#7 – Pets Reduce Stress
One of the best parts of owning a pet is that they can reduce your stress. Petting a dog or even looking at an animal can help some people relax. In fact, studies have shown that petting a dog or cat reduces cortisol, which is a major stress hormone. So, coming home after a long day of work is much better when you have a four-legged friend waiting for you.
Knowing your pet is waiting for you and experiencing their love and affection is a relaxing and rewarding experience. That’s why humans who have pets by their side might seem more relaxed than those who don’t have any animals. This is also a reason why dogs often make such great emotional support animals.
We need pets in our lives more than we even realize. So, make sure you appreciate all the simple moments in life that you experience with your four-legged family member.