Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the united states. There is a staggering 74.8 million of them in the US alone, and pet ownership doesn’t appear to be declining either. It’s easy to see why so many people choose to have a pet dog. They’re warm, furry and are always happy to see you. They love their owners unconditionally and make a great addition to most households. What most people don’t know is that there are psychological benefits of owning a pet dog.

In this article we will explore a few of the emotional benefits of having a dog that you might not know about.

Pets Reduces Loneliness

Having a pet companion can help to make people feel needed and not get lonely. Loneliness is known to be a major cause of depression. People that come home to a happy dog wagging its tail are less likely to get depressed than those who don’t.

Higher Serotonin and Dopamine

Serotonin and dopamine are known as “feel good chemicals”. They play a major role in helping to regulate our mood and well-being. Playing with a dog can help to raise these levels, which can help make us relax and feel happier.

Safe and Secure Feeling

Besides the fact that some dog breeds act as excellent security guards, they can also make you feel secure in your home. Just knowing that they will be able to alert you of any dangers or break-ins can give major peace of mind.

Decreased Stress

Dogs can reduce stress in their human companions. It’s been shown that people getting examinations and medical check-ups have lower blood pressure and heart rate if they have a dog with them. This is due to the calming effect that dogs provide.

There is even a study that found people with borderline hypertension who adopted dogs from a local shelter, had a significant decrease in blood pressure within five months.

Coping with Loss

When faced with a tragedy it can often take a long time to fully heal emotionally. Luckily one of the psychological benefits of owning a pet dog is their ability to help people cope with loss. Just having them there can be a huge help, especially if the person lives alone.

Physical Contact

The human need to touch is very important. Touch is crucial for our emotional health, and dogs are a great way to help us with this. In fact, they are always very happy to help us fulfill this need and always seem to want more!

Keeping Active

While exercise itself mainly provides physical benefits there are also emotional ones. One of the psychological benefits of owning a pet is that they can help you to get out of the house and be active.

This activity will then help release endorphins in the body which act to calm our nerves and make us feel good.

Conclusion

Overall there are many psychological benefits of owning a dog. The few listed in this article are just some of the ways that canine companions can provide emotional benefits for their owners. Dogs will likely continue to be one of the most common pets because of all the ways they help us in our daily lives.