5 Health Benefits of Having a Dog - LiveHealth Online Espanol

Dogs can be great pets for kids and adults, but did you know there are also health benefits to having a dog?

1. Dogs can help boost the immune system particularly in kids. The journal Pediatrics reported that children who are around dogs and cats during the first year of life are healthier and have fewer respiratory infections than children without contact to these animals. The thinking is: exposure to the dander and microbes pets carry can help bolster immunity.
2. More joy. Dog owners have a greater sense of wellbeing, which makes them less likely to suffer from depression.
3. Having a dog can lead to a healthier heart. All those late night, early morning, and midday strolls with a pup are so good for you.
4. Dogs help lower your stress levels. Have you heard of therapy dogs, animals that are brought into communities to help people that have suffered from a traumatic event? Contact with dogs has a proven impact on reducing stress. Being around dogs can actually reduce anxiety-associated hormones like cortisol.
5. Impact on allergies. Kids with dogs are less likely to suffer allergies. Additionally, dogs are said to reduce kids’ chances of developing eczema. Again, it’s that exposure which is said to improve immunity.