Dogs have been a part of families for hundreds of years. I know in my family, my two dogs rule the house. They are 20 pounds of fur and barking and I couldn’t imagine growing up without them. But to some, they are so much more than just a companion.
There are actually several health benefits in owning a dog. They keep you active, taking them to the park and for walks/runs. According to doctors Foster and Smith, because of the increase in activity, owning a dog can increase chances of surviving a heart attack from 1 in 87 to 1 in 15. They can also detect seizures, and many dogs spend their lives working for kids and adults, alerting others when their owner is about to have a seizure. In some trials done, some dogs were even able to detect cancer, sniffing and honing in on unusual moles or marks on peoples skin, which then turned out to be cancer.
Many single people will own dogs because it keeps them from becoming lonely. Elderly people find that owning a dog after a loved one has passed away has helped the grieving process because they have a sense of security within their pet. Owning a dog also teaches kids responsibility and how to care for another living thing.
So while some people may prefer cats, I definitely agree with the notion that dogs are a man’s best friend, because when it comes to your well being and health, no one seems to care more than our furry friends.
References:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=1201
http://www.livescience.com/35463-seven-surprising-health-benefits-dog-ownership-110209.html
I love the idea of this post! I was lucky enough to have grown up with 2 pets in my life. My first dog was a german Shepard mut. Now, I own an adorable little pitbull named Angie. I think its absolutely amazing that dogs can detect certain cancers. I recently wrote a post on how pets are good for your health as well! But I hadn’t found that fact on the internet, so go you! Did you know that pets can reduce your risk of allergies? I learned that growing up with a pet can decrease the risk of inflammation in the passageways. I learned this from working at Oprah this summer. Check out the article! http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Pets-and-Health-Benefits-Why-Keeping-A-Pet-is-Good-For-You
I’m very interested in your post because I love dogs. Even though I don’t have a dog, I did help my friend take care of her dog for a few months. Having a dog definitely has many health benefits. Within the short amount of period, I became more active from all the dog walks. I never thought I would be vising the park ever day for months! In your blog you said owning dogs keeps people from becoming lonely and teaches kids responsibility. I agree with this statement, but I believe the animal doesn’t have to be just dogs, I believe any pet can keep a person from becoming lonely and any pet can teach children responsibility because all pets needs care and love. Overall, you did a good job and I agree dogs are man’s best friend!
I agree with this post as well, especially the part about dogs helping people cope with grief. My grandma adopted a dog after my grandpa passed away and it was definitely therapeutic for her. Having a pet of any kind to take care of, distract you from thinking about your grief, and bring you joy is a great thing!
http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/benefits-of-elderly-owning-pets-113294.htm
I agree completely! My puppy dog is definitely my best friend. I never knew that owning a dog had so many health benefits though. Thats really cool that owning a dog can help us in more than one or two ways and can have a positive effect on our health. I read an article online that also said that owning a pet can reduce allergies. Kids who grow up in houses with dogs are less likely to have the risk of having allergies and asthma. I thought that was pretty neat! They are also good way of social connections, people can meet potential significant others by having a dog because they are god conversation starters. Dogs really are mans best friend.
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/health-benefits-of-pets
Your topic intrigued me from the moment I saw your title. In fact, your research in this story compels me to tell my grandparents to get a dog! Although you have a very thought out article, I am left with a question that could be an interesting turn for you the look into. I had a dog who became very sick when I was 16 years old. The vet we were seeing for him suggested that we look into getting another dog because he believed that having a young dog around my older dog would help his life span. I would be interested to know what you think of this and if dogs can effect more than just human lives. Here’s an article that I found interesting, maybe your next blog post and reach further into this matter! I could not find any non-commercial websites but if you check here at:
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/23/131516152/helping-your-good-old-dog-navigate-aging
there’s some facts on helping old dogs and here:
http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/loss.6.html
is a commercial website I found on the issue.
Hope this can help to explain your interesting blog post!