How Dog Ownership Can Improve Longevity And Health Benefits

Dogs are great. For the most part they are happy, attentive, and giving unconditional love to their owners. Ohh I know there are some “bad dogs” out there. But I find myself in the “nurture versus nature” club when it comes to pets. It’s your responsibility to teach your Dog good manners. You train your dog how to interact with people and other dogs, and your dog takes a lot of cues from you as a person. 

My family has always been a dog family, and although I do not have a dog now, when I was a child there was always a dog in the family. I distinctly remember 2 dogs growing up, a Bedlington Terrier we named Brandy, and an old English sheepdog we named Pandora. 

There’s research that indicates children growing up with dogs have more robust immune systems. And there’s now other research that indicates that maybe owning a dog will help you live longer. 

According to seattletimes.com,
‘Dog owners appear to live longer than non-dog owners, according to quite a bit of research. In a 2019 meta-analysis of nearly 4 million people published in the journal Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, researchers found that having a dog was linked to a 24 percent lower risk of death from any cause during the study period compared with people who lived canine-free.’ 

This boost in longevity seems to be even more important with people who have heart conditions. Keep in mind that this kind of study really doesn’t prove that you will live longer. I mean, maybe people who own dogs live healthier lifestyles. Is it possible that owning 2 dogs at the same time, we’ll double that possibility of longevity? Probably not. 

One theory is that when you own a dog, you have to walk the dog, and the act of walking the dog on a daily basis improves your health benefits as well as the dogs. It’s a fact that daily exercise, even a daily walk, will improve your health and also improve your cognitive Longevity. 

now a short story

A little over a year ago, my youngest son took a job in the Wenatchee area and in doing so, wound up inheriting a dog from his older brother. The reason he wound up with the pooch is because it was not playing nicely with his older brother’s other dog, and they needed to find a place for the critter. John wasn’t too sure about whether he should do this, but he said yes, and now, a year later, he’s bonded with the dog and much of his non-work life revolves around making sure that the dog has a friend, gets walks, has a clean backyard to play in and a warm place to sleep. 

This is good for the dog, but it’s great for John. 

Other ways a dog might help you live longer.

Another way that dogs might be boosting longevity in their owners is by boosting their social connections. When you’re out walking your dog, it’s not unusual to encounter somebody who might ask about your dog and there you have it, another social connection. Expanding your social connections is considered a vital part of extending your age. Studies show that loneliness and social isolation are contributors to a rising risk of mortality. 

Finally this note, having a dog will also enhance your sense of purpose and responsibility. 

The sad part of this story is that my personal lifestyle really doesn’t allow me to have a dog or a pet of any kind. It would be a tragic crime for me to have any kind of pet. 

Just think about this; it may be time for you to go to the local animal shelter and adopt a dog.  

It’s just a suggestion.