Benefits of Dog Ownership

We think dogs are amazing, and really are a man’s (or women’s) best friend. There are so many benefits of pet ownership, and bringing a canine companion into your family home can have life-enhancing benefits for yourself but also your children’s health and well-being.

Health Benefits:

• Lower blood pressure, anxiety and stress. The daily company and dependency of a dog can offer an escape from the struggles of modern life – it provides a great opportunity to relax and stroke your dog or get out and enjoy some fresh air.
• Walking your dog also has benefits for them too. It allows for them to expel excess energy and become mentally stimulated, but also provides regular opportunity to socialise and use canine body language – this is particularly important for dogs in lone households.
• Having a dog in the household often encourages increased activity levels – particularly among elderly people. It has also been found that those whom own dogs often have fewer minor illnesses.
• From regularly getting out and about with your dog, it can significantly help alleviate symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or depression.
• Service Assistance dogs are being trained to help veterans of the armed forces and emergency services whom suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Each dog can be trained to identify specific negative human behaviours and the associated responses to help their handler. Dogs have learnt to read humans’ body language, facial expressions and emotions (through domestication) which makes them uniquely attuned to this role. For more information on PTSD assistance dogs, see Service Dogs UK, a charity devoted to this.

Childhood Benefits:

• Caring for pets helps children learn to respect boundaries and appreciate routine. It can also be a great opportunity to learn about dependency; both of your time and finances.
• It is also an opportunity for them to learn appropriate animal handling skills and help prevent animal related phobias.
• It contributes to the development of empathy and can often be a child’s first experience of loss.
• Households that have pets are often less likely to suffer from pet related allergies.
• Dogs are a friend for all ages, they’re always happy to see you and non-judgemental. This makes them a great confidant when your feeling down – this can be a crucial support for children that want to talk their worries through but do not feel confident to air them with family and friends.

Social Benefits:

• Dog walkers are in a fortunate position in today’s electronic world – dogs are a brilliant conversation starter and can provide opportunities to attend dog specific events and meet new people.
• When walking your dog regularly you get to know other dog owners in your area – often people will walk with neighbours in small groups or it may just result in a passing ‘hello, how are you?’ This interaction may seem simple, but it could be a significant part of someone’s daily human interaction.
• Animal therapy is fast becoming a regular part of residential care homes, and for a good reason. The presence of pets can recall happy memories and encourage talking which helps reduce feelings of isolation. There are also charities that support elderly or disabled people own pets; such as the Cinnamon Trust. This charity sets out to help people whom benefit from the companionship of pets and are mostly able to provide all care duties necessary of owning a pet, here volunteers can help meet exercise needs or assist with vet visits for instance.