Why puppies are good for us?

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

If you have a puppy, it’s probably because you think they’re cute, or they’re cuddly, but did you know that having a puppy has real benefits? This is an article to help convince family that you should get one.

The list

• Puppies reduce stress
• Puppies improve childhood development
• Puppies reduce doctor visits
• Puppies increase exercise
• Puppies relieve pain and anxiety

Puppies reduce stress

People with puppies get sick less often and recover quicker than those without dogs. Puppies lower blood pressure better than medication

Puppies improve childhood development

Current evidence suggests that overall, pet ownership may be beneficial to child and adolescent emotional, cognitive, behavioural, educational and social development.

Puppies reduce doctor visits

A Japanese study reveals that pet owners made 30% less visits to doctors than those with pets.

Puppies increase exercise

Puppies increase the amount of exercise you do, whether it’s chasing them around the house, or taking them for walks.

Puppies relieve pain and anxiety

Positron emission tomography (PET scan) is an imaging test that helps physicians to detect biochemical changes used to diagnose and monitor various health conditions. These tests show that touching a pet shuts down the pain-processing centers of the brain. Petting your puppy relieves your own pain and also buffers anxiety, all without the side effects of Valium. In other words, a puppy on your lap can ease your pain.

Sources:

1. The Spruce Pets; Amy Shojai 5 Reasons Puppies Are Good for Us
2. Hesselmar, Bill et al. Pet-keeping in early life reduces the risk of allergy in a dose-dependent fashion. PloS one vol. 13,12 e0208472. 19 Dec. 2018, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208472
3. Purewal, Rebecca et al. Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 14,3 234. 27 Feb. 2017, doi:10.3390/ijerph14030234
4. Kramer, Caroline K. et al. Dog Ownership And Survival. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality And Outcomes, vol 12, no. 10, 2019. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.119.005554
5. Carr, Eloise C J et al. Evaluating the Relationship between Well-Being and Living with a Dog for People with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study. International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 16,8 1472. 25 Apr. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijerph16081472