Having a dog in the house can not only be extremely fun, but these creatures can even benefit our mental health a lot as long as we keep them satisfied and happy. Once a dog has shelter, food, and the opportunity to interact with other dogs and people as it stays your pet, it will be happy and willing to offer something in return.
There are numerous positive effects on mental health if we have a dog around, which will contribute to emotional well-being and provide various psychological benefits. Let’s find out some of the ways in which having a dog as a pet can impact our mental health in positive ways:
Increased physical activity
You obviously can’t stay around all day watching movies or playing video games if you have a dog as your pet. Your canine friend needs to be taken out for a walk, while playing is also an important part of its well-being. You can play fetch with the animal, go jogging together, or simply go for a walk alongside it. In other ways, having a dog will obviously encourage you to have some physical activity as well.
Mindfulness
Considering that dogs are creatures that live in the moment, spending time with these canine friends encourages mindfulness. If you focus more on the present moment rather than worrying about the future, for instance, it can be beneficial for mental health as well as for stress reduction. That brings us to another important part of our article!
Stress reduction
If you’re constantly stressed, and we all know that modern society can often lead many of us to such tensions, you can become prone to much more dangerous health conditions. If you don’t reduce the stress in your life, you’ll deal at some point with depression, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and more.
Interacting with an animal through playing and petting has been proven to lower the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Therefore, the overall stress will go down.
Social interaction
Girls love dogs, which means that taking your dog to the park might result in a life partner for you. In other words, dogs can facilitate social interaction with other dog owners. Therefore, having a dog can make you less prone to social isolation, as let’s face it: who wants to be alone? We are all social creatures by nature, which means that we need interaction with others.
Having a dog can be an antidepressant
Interactions with dogs have been associated with reduced depression and anxiety symptoms. Dogs can maintain a calming presence, while the release of the bonding hormone known as oxytocin can contribute to improved mood. To obtain that, all you have to do is interact with your dog.
Remember to always do your best to provide your dog with everything the animal needs, including regular check-ins with the vet. Dogs can suffer from health conditions just like us, and it’s important to keep them healthy. Feel free to also read about how to bring a dog to your house if you also have children.
Tommy’s hobby has always been playing video games. He enjoys competing in video games tournaments and writing about his experience. It’s not a big surprise that he mostly covers the latest trends from the gaming industry.