Benefits of having a dog

Dogs Can Increase Our Happiness and Well-Being

You may sense that hanging out with a dog or even looking at pictures of a dog gives your mood a boost, and there’s proof that it does. A chemical called oxytocin, which has been found to reduce stress, fight depression and create feelings of trust, increases significantly – for humans and dogs alike – when they spend as little as 30 minutes together. Glad the feeling is mutual!

Pets Can Be Good for Our Children

A pet at home can instill the sense of responsibility in your kids at an early age. There are several more benefits for children, like:

• Teaching kids to care for a puppy can make them more cooperative and generous
• When kids imagine how a pet feels, it helps them learn to empathize with their peers and take their feelings into account
• Teaching children to confide in their pets as if they were friends can help children recover from trauma

Pets Can Help Us Deal with Stress

You may have heard about a hormone called cortisol, which is released when we’re stressed out, and is often coupled with heightened blood pressure. Over time, these factors can lead to high cholesterol and hypertension. Luckily, reducing stress can be as simple as interacting with a dog, which may help lower cortisol levels and improve your immune system’s functions.