Nope, this story is not about delivering mail. But, it does highlight fun that you can enjoy today!
Did you know that dog owners have an advantage over non-dog folks? Over recent years, many studies have occurred on health and well-being for these people.
Regardless of the weather, people with pets have daily activities. These include simple things like feeding, moving, and resting. If your pet is a dog, then you increase your daily exercise too!
Healthy Habits
Quite simply, owning a dog cultivates healthier behaviors.
Think about it. A walking regimen gets the owner out to explore their surroundings. It also helps the animal’s well-being and inquisitive nature. Simple activities can earn great returns over time.
People will effortlessly increase steps and burn more calories when they are exploring. Fun first! Fresh air is a valuable benefit you don’t sitting indoors. Enjoying the beautiful world around you will improve your mood too.
Studies
Institutions of higher learning have conducted research on people and dog walking for many years.
Some of the high ranking renowned research universities include:
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital-Chicago
- Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland
- East Carolina University
- University of Liverpool in England, and
- Stanford University of California
Each study focuses on a specific subject, but dogs and people seem to be a running theme.
The overall results suggest that pets, especially dogs, help increase daily activity. Activity drives physical age lower than actual age. Now if you’re twenty something that may not seem important. But, creating great habits early in life, enriches each day.
For example, one group found that walking your dog for 160 minutes per week, contributed to 87% of daily activity guidelines. Only 30 minutes a day?
Dog walkers take an average of 2,000 more steps and gain 13 minutes of daily activity over non-dog individuals. Do you want to feel better?
When people walk at a brisker pace, they can increase longevity. Do you want more bounce in your step?
One study tracked that overall physical activities increase positively because of pet responsibilities. Older people, who keep up with their furry friends at a moderate pace, typically log 2,700 steps daily, over their counterparts.
Volunteering
Everyone cannot own a dog, but they want some of the benefits. One idea is to fostering animals or volunteer.
Fostering a dog is typically a 6-week commitment. During this period, officials will seek a permanent family. However, the routines of feeding and exercise increased the activity levels of animal foster parents.
Volunteering gains some of the benefits without being a full-time owner. Another suggestion is helping at local animal shelters. Caring for kenneled critters can take as much time as a person can donate.
Sheltered dogs need loving attention and activity to keep them happy. Volunteering for community animal shelters earns a big win for people, dogs, and shelter workers.
Let the Good Times Continue
The physical benefits of caring for a dog are easy to see. Long-term advantages can even include new social interactions. This alone can reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Plus, everyone gains from an increased sense of community belonging.
Dogs are like best friends to their owners because they give unconditional love. The love doesn’t change in rain nor snow nor sleet nor hail!
So, what’s stopping you?
Attributions for article images
Image by Jan Steiner from Pixabay
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Image by Agota Szilvasi from Pixabay
Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay
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