Is Life Truly Better with a Dog?

How do dogs affect your physical and mental health?

“If you are someone like me, you might have tried countless times to convince your parents to get you a dog. However, you might be making 3 common mistakes.”

Getting or adopting a dog demands a huge commitment: you have to walk it, clean after it, wash it, pick up after it, feed it, and give it water to drink for about 10 years. Yet, why is it that 45 percent of Americans own dogs? What could be so good about them that makes so many want to have them?

My whole life, I’ve wanted to get a dog. After visiting friend after friend who owned a dog, I knew that having one would make my simple life so much more interesting. One of the best dogs I’ve ever met was one owned by my friend Eileen. Her dog was so energetic and cute. Every time I went near her, she jumped into my arms and wagged her tail. When my friends and I went into the pool, she would swim with us. When we threw a tennis ball, she would run as fast as she could to retrieve it.

This was the theme that repeated itself over and over - whether it was meeting one at the park or visiting someone’s home: dogs are amazing and exciting. However, my single opinion is not the only reason why you should own a dog. In fact, science shows that there are many reasons to own one.

Owning a dog is beneficial for our mental health. Studies have shown that dogs can reduce loneliness and will be there for you when humans won’t. They cheerfully show you unconditional love, emotional support, and give you abundant cuddles. In addition, other studies show that dogs can help relieve stress and anxiety. Dogs can lower your blood pressure, heart beat, as well as slowing your breathing and relaxing muscles. Just petting a dog for ten minutes will reduce a stress hormone called cortisol.

Finally, dogs can significantly boost social skills and help you make new friends. A study by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine showed that dog owners feel more connected to their relationships and communities; 40 percent of dog owners had easier times making friends.

Other than mental health reasons, dogs can lead you to a healthier lifestyle. Andy Jones, a professor at the University of East Anglia, says, “We were amazed to find out that dog walkers were on average more physically active and spent less time sitting on the coldest, wettest, and darkest days than non-doggers on long, sunny, and warm summer days.” Dogs can also positively improve your outdoor play time, physical activity, and sleep per day. Not only that, but dogs can also help you stay away from your screen for too long.

Dogs would be great for teenagers to get because they struggle with stress, social anxiety, loneliness, and too much screen time. To conveniently solve all these problems with one solution, parents could buy their children a dog. All the problems are solved, and the whole family has fun! A win-win!

If you are someone like me, you might have tried countless times to convince your parents to get you a dog. However, you might be making 3 common mistakes. In most cases, parents do not want to get a dog because they think that there are too many responsibilities in owning a dog. You can promise your parents that most of the feeding, walking, cleaning, and the picking up after will be your responsibility.

Choosing dog breeds that best fit your family are also good things to think about. For example, Portuguese water dogs shed minimally, making the job of taking care of the dog easier. Finally, you can tell them that owning dogs teaches valuable lessons for you in the long run. Dogs teach you about responsibility and the needs of a living being, empathy, self confidence, and commitment.

Let us know in the comments below if any of these tips worked for you in convincing your parents to brighten your lives with a new furry family member.

Works Cited

Arford, Kaitlyn. “10 Science-Based Benefits of Having a Dog.” American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/.

Zorthian, Julia. “More Evidence That Owning a Dog is Really Good for You.” Time, https://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4870796/dog-owners-benefits/.

“Newly Published Study Shows Young Children with Pet Dogs Benefit from Greater Physical Activity and Reduced Screen Time.” HABRI, https://habri.org/pressroom/20220329.

Morang, Taylor. “How to Convince Your Parents to Get You a Dog.” Service Dog Training School International, https://www.servicedogtrainingschool.org/blog/how-to-convince-your-parents-get-you-dog.