In sickness and in health, dogs are our best friends.
Dogs, often referred to as "man's best friend," have been the subject of numerous scientific studies investigating how they can improve our well-being. In this Spotlight, we'll go over how your friendly dog can benefit your health in general.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there are approximately 78 million dogs in the United States that are kept as pets.
It is unknown when dogs were first domesticated, but a studyTrusted Source published last year claims that dogs were domesticated 20,000-40,000 years ago, at least in Europe.
Humans and dogs have most likely shared a special bond of friendship and mutual support since at least the Neolithic period — but why has this bond lasted so long?
Of course, these wolf cousins have historically been excellent at keeping us and our homes safe, guarding our homes, cattle, and various material goods. Throughout history, humans have trained dogs to help them hunt, or they have bred a variety of odd-looking species for their cuteness or elegance.
Dogs, on the other hand, are — and may have always been — truly valued companions, renowned for their loyalty and seemingly endless willingness to put a smile on their owners' faces.
In this Spotlight, we outline the research that shows how our dogs make us happier, more resilient when faced with stress, and physically healthier, to name a few benefits of these much-loved quadrupeds.
How dogs help you stay healthy
'Dogs make people happy.'
The most obvious advantage of sharing your life and home with a canine companion is that dogs instantly give you "feel-good vibes."
How dogs help you stay healthy
Many studies have suggested that having dogs as pets is associated with improved physical health, according to reviews of the existing literature. These findings have not changed.
A study published last year in Medical News Today found that owning a dog reduces a person's risk of premature death by up to a third.
In addition, researchers at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, believe that dog owners have a lower risk of heart disease.
Why is this the case? It is difficult to establish a link between owning a dog and having better health.
However, the benefits may appear as a result of a number of factors related to lifestyle changes that people make after deciding to adopt a canine companion.
Physical activity is the most prominent of these lifestyle factors. There is no getting around it: if you own a dog, you must commit to twice-daily walks, if not more.
According to a paper published in The Journal of Physical Activity and Health, dog owners are more likely than non-pet owners and people who own pet cats to walk for leisure purposes.
The findings were based on a study of 41,514 California residents, some of whom owned dogs, some of whom owned cats, and some of whom did not own any pets.
Furthermore, several recent studies, including one from the University of Missouri in Columbia and another from Glasgow Caledonian University in the United Kingdom, discovered that adults aged 60 and up benefit from "forced" exercise from walking their dogs.
Dogs can improve our health not only as we get older, but also much earlier: before we are even born.
According to a study published last year, children who were exposed to dogs while still in the womb — as their mothers spent time around dogs while pregnant — had a lower risk of developing eczema in childhood.
According to the researchers, children exposed to certain bacteria carried by dogs experienced a reduction in asthma symptoms.
'Dogs make people happy.'
The most obvious advantage of sharing your life and home with a canine companion is that dogs instantly give you "feel-good vibes."
Even after a long day at work, it's difficult not to smile when you're greeted with — often vocal — enthusiasm by a friendly dog.
According to researchers, this is due to the effect of the "love hormone" oxytocin.
"Animal assistance in therapy, education, and care has greatly increased over the last decades," write the authors of a review published in Frontiers in Psychology.
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