10 benefits of being a pet person

From an individual who enjoyed living a carefree life alone to becoming responsible for another living being by adopting a dog and becoming a pet parent, I have had a roller-coaster ride. Parenting my dog has been both challenging, as well as fun. Though I miss my old life, I would never go back to that if given the chance.

I have always had an affinity towards getting a Doodle, and by doing in-depth research with the help of We Love Doodles, I decided to finally become a pet parent.

After about a year of caring for my best friend, I am absolutely elated to share my experience and how this has helped me grow in life.

1. They Improve Your Fitness:

I am an extremely lazy person who needs to be pushed to get out of bed. I have tried to pay hefty sums to trainers to make me active, but nothing worked. My dog sure knows how to do it. If you get a dog, you are bound to care for it. Dogs need their owners to be active for them to play with. You will also need to take to your dogs for walks throughout the day, making you active, as well. There will be times when you would feel really lazy to go out for a walk but when your dog looks at you with those eyes insisting to go out for a walk, you will be melted to head out for a walk immediately.

2. They Never Make You Feel Lonely:

Dogs are great companions. They can never make you feel lonely in any situation. They will be following you around, waiting for you to get back home. They will kiss you good morning and lick your ears every chance they get to express their love for you. They love to snuggle with you on the sofa and just lay next to your feet most days.

3. They Lower Your Stress Levels:

Life is stressful, and it can affect your mental health, leading to other health issues. Pets are known to help you relax. These goofy creatures make you smile and also worry-free. My dog is so playful and affectionate that I almost forget all my stress, which is the case with many others as well. This is one of the main reasons why I highly recommend stressed people to get a dog. A dog is a sure-shot way of reducing your cortisol levels.

4. They Can Help in Stopping Your Children from Developing Allergies:

When small kids are around a dog constantly, they start getting immune to many allergens, as per studies. This means they will become more immune to many things that will help them in the future. 

5. They Can Help You Socialize:

When you are new to an area, it is difficult to talk to strangers without a common topic. As a dog owner, I have found it easy to socialize as I meet other pet owners and discuss our pets as a common topic. I also find people approaching me to pet my dog, and in turn, we end up having small talks. This is true for all pet owners, and they get the boost that helps them socialize more.

6. They Can Detect Cancer Early:

This is a well-known fact that few dogs have an incredible sense of smell and can detect cancer. It has been reported earlier when the dogs constantly pointed towards an early tumor by sniffing and licking that area constantly where there was a hidden tumor.

7. They Can Make Kids Responsible:

Every parent would want to teach their kid responsibility. Kids love animals; hence, you can also ask them to take up some of the responsibility of taking care of the dog. Dogs give kids company which is why your kid may also feel responsible for taking care of the dog. This will help them learn new skill sets, and they will develop the emotion of nurturing for another life.

8. They Help You Feel Safe:

Though I loved to stay home alone, at night, I would feel uncomfortable. Many people do not enjoy staying home alone. Dogs never let you feel alone as they follow you around always. If you adopt a guard dog, then they take it up to make you feel safe at home or even when you head outside for a run. 

9. They Help Us Get Into a Routine:

There used to be a time when I would not even set the alarm and wake up only when I wanted to. I loved to laze around most of the day, but my dog made sure to change that bad habit as she likes to stick to her schedule. Dogs like a routine, which is why they need to be fed at the same time every day and they like to relieve themselves at fixed timelines. You need to form a routine for them and stick to it every day. They need to go out to do their business as soon as they wake up, which is why you also would need to start your day early, like them.

10. They Can Be Your Support Animal:

Dogs are great support animals for people who face mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Such people can travel and carry their dogs along everywhere with them. This means your dog can fly with you. Being around your support animal helps deal with the situation. There are specific dog breeds good with this, and you need to research them well.

The Bottom Line:

Even when I was not a pet parent, I had a wonderful life, as being free of responsibilities is what most of us desire. But being around the company of a loving friend outweighs everything else for me and for many others. Not every individual may think alike, which is being human, but if you still have your doubts, I am sure the benefits mentioned above will push you to think harder about adopting a pet.