Why Do Our Dogs Make Us Happy?

Hello there, my Fellow Dog Lovers!

So…this is why I always feel happier and calmer when I am at home with my dogs. Dogs can be a natural remedy for depression and anxiety for their owners, according to many researchers.

There has been many studies done on the effects of owning a pet, whether it is a dog, cat, turtle, or a bird.  It has been found that many people that own a pet of some sort, live healthier and happier lives.

Here’s an article by Kathleen Doheny over at WebMD that you may find interesting to read.

Owning a Dog has its Advantages

Owning a dog or even other pets does have its advantages such as

• Keep their owner’s company
• Make a person be more active
• Lower our blood pressure
• Give us responsibility
• Help their owners to make more friends

Keep Their Owners Company

Dogs can often be better companions and friends to their owners than most people.  They do not judge you or criticize you for anything you do, no matter how foolish it may be. Your dog loves you no matter what you do.

All dogs want besides food, water, and shelter is attention from their owners. As soon as you get home from work or wherever you may have been, there’s your number one fan to greet you at the door…your dog (or dogs in my case) of course!

Dogs are always there to cheer you up when you’ve had a bad day or even if it hasn’t been a bad day, they are there.  This is one of the reasons that dogs have been found to be very helpful for those suffering from depression and anxiety.

Dogs and Depression

Dogs help people fight depression in their persistent pursuit of attention and love from their owners. Who can resist it when their dog comes up to them, wagging their tail and giddy with excitement that you are there.

Other times, when a person is feeling down or upset about something, your loyal companion comes to you in a more subdued manner.  My dogs often just come up to me and rest their head on my knee and look up at me in a manner that is like they are trying to say “what is wrong?”

Dogs often seem to pick up on every little thing, which makes them such good companions. They know when something’s wrong, even though no one else seems to notice. Sometimes, they know before you do.

It sure helps to see that someone, even if it is your dog, notices that you are not happy. A lot of times just this little bit of attention from your dog can make you feel a bit better! Talk about reversed roles…

Dogs Make Their Owners More Active

Owning a dog can actually make a person be more active, whether they want to or not. When you own a dog you are bound to be more active since your dog will need to be taken outside often for potty breaks and also your dog should be taken for a daily walk.

Taking your dog for a walk every day will help you with many health problems that can occur from lack of exercise.  These include high blood pressure, loss of muscle, obesity or being overweight, poor circulation, stress, depression and anxiety.

I know how it is… some days a person just does not want to! I know the feeling…just too tired or don’t have the time…

Well, once you get going with your dog it’s not that bad, you realize.  At least for me, it wasn’t that bad at all once I got going.  Actually, it was fun and relaxing….and if you are short on time that day, just go for a shorter walk. It doesn’t have to be a marathon that takes you an hour or so to get back!

It does actually help you in feeling better in a lot of ways to bring your dog for a walk every day. It does for me, anyway…I feel more relaxed, less stressed, and also burn off some of those pesky calories too!

Not to mention it keeps your most loyal friend happy too!

Help Their Owners Make More Friends

Believe it or not, dogs often can help their owners meet new people. Often, when bringing our dogs for a walk, I’d run into our neighbors who would then stop to chat.

The main reason that they even stopped was to comment, compliment, or ask about our dogs. Otherwise, they may have never bothered to stop to talk to me.

Now that we have lived in the same place for many years, we know our neighbors pretty good since our dogs introduced us to each other. So, if you are looking to make friends or meet your new neighbors, get off your butt and bring your dog out for a walk!

Dogs can be such a benefit in our lives. They keep us company when we are lonely. They keep us moving, which is a good thing… whether we like it or not, and they help us get out there and meet people.

If only we could be such a good role model to others!

You may also find this article, 6 Ways Pets Relieve Depression by Therese J. Borchard an interesting read.

What do YOU think? Do you think dogs are a great remedy to beat the blues?

I’d love to know and I’d be delighted to hear YOUR opinion! Please, leave your thoughts below and feel free to share this with your friends.

🙂 -Sherry