5 Reasons Why Owning a Dog is Good for Your Health

A little dog love a day keeps the doctor away! Seriously. Owning a dog is scientifically proven to be beneficial for your health. Animals make people feel good! Heart disease, stroke and blood pressure are all made better by the presence of a pet…but why?

1. Oxytocin (aka the Cuddle Chemical) has been known to significantly reduce stress levels. 

“50-80 percent of all diseases are stress related.” (Dr. Fred Friedberg, PHD 2001) Simply petting a dog releases Oxytocin, owning one is even better.

2. Having a dog makes you live longer! 

“People who have dogs live longer than people who have cats, and the assumption has been that dogs naturally cause their owners to be more active. The emotional benefits of having an affectionate creature are also one of the theories for why dog-lovers live longer.” 

3. Dog owners typically have lower blood pressure.

Pet your pet! Not only does a little doggie downtime lower blood pressure, it helps your body release endorphins. 

4. If you have a heart attack, you are 3-4 times as likely to survive if you own a dog.

“A decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and adrenaline-like hormone release when a pet is present as opposed to when a pet is not present,” says Dr. Glenn N. Levine, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine.  

5. You’re also less likely to have a heart condition if you own a dog.

Research shows that just by petting a dog, our cortisol stress levels go down and blood pressure levels go down. This in turn contributes to an overall healthy heart.