Why Having a Pet Dog Makes Life Better

Sharon Moore February 07, 2014

Dog is indeed a man’s best friend. You probably have one you call your ‘baby’, your ‘furry friend’, or your ‘best buddy’. Owning a pet dog is such an amazing experience – not just because you’ll get to have a companion all the time, but also because it increases your happiness and boost your health and well-being.

Still not convinced? Here are some science-based reasons why having a pet dog can make your life so much better:

Dogs can boost your social relationships.

A recent study by the Tufts University suggests that people who have strong connection with their pets tend to have better relationship with their human companions. They also reported feeling more connected to their communities and relationships. Furthermore, the study also found that the stronger the attachment of the person to his/her pet as a teenager, the more empathetic and confident he or she was.

Simply looking at them makes you feel better.

Did you know that one of the distinguishing characteristics of dogs from wolves is their willingness to look humans in the eye? In 2009, Miho Nagasawa of Azabu University in Japan found that after interacting with dogs, participants’ oxytocin levels significantly increased. What’s more surprising is that only interaction they needed was to stare into their dog’s eyes. The researcher found that those who looked longer into their dogs’ eyes had the highest increase in oxytocin.

Dogs can seriously calm you down.

Researchers from the University of Buffalo, led by Karen Walker, performed a series of tests which proved that dogs helped reduce people’s everyday stress. The tests involved challenging activities in a room with or without a dog. They found that the stress levels of the participants were lower if there was a dog inside the room.

With dogs, you won’t be lonely.

Older adults are less likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression if they own a pet dog, according to research. Pet owners also required fewer medical services and were much more satisfied with their lives.

Owning a dog makes you more attractive.

Research conducted by Dog’s Trust, the biggest welfare charity in the United Kingdom surveyed 700 people. 60 per cent of them said that owning a dog can make people more attractive, and 85 per cent think that they appear more approachable if they are with a dog.

Dogs strengthen your resilience.

Dog therapy is a proven intervention programme used for young and old people experiencing psychological issues. There’s a growing body of research providing evidence that bonding with dogs has biological effects, such as elevated levels of the hormone oxytocin. In 2008, US researchers launched the Paws for Purple Hearts – one of four experimental programs nationwide that pair veterans afflicted by PTSD with Labrador and golden retrievers. They found that dog therapy helped traumatised veterans overcome emotional numbness. Dogs also improved their ability to communicate, to be assertive but not aggressive. PTSD participants also reported improvement in sleep quality.

They can give you a technology detox.

You need not always go online to feel better. Spending quality time with your pooch can improve your mood and lower down your stress levels in no time.

A dog’s face can elicit the ‘caregiver’ in you. Dogs’ faces are more than cute. They have this special charisma that can bring out the ‘caregiver’ in you. In a 2013 study published in the journal Plos One, it was revealed that cuteness after-effects for human infant faces in both adaptation conditions, suggesting a common mechanism coding cuteness in human and dogs.

Dogs influence you to become more active.

A 2006 Canadian study found that dog owners were more likely to participate in moderate physical activity than those who didn’t own a dog. They walked an average of 300 minutes per week, compared with non-dog owners, who walked an average of 168 minutes per week.

Don’t have a dog yet? Maybe this is the time to have your own. Consider adopting one from an animal shelter because really, having a pet dog can make your life so much better!