Five Reasons to Get a Dog (or Twelve)

An old adage claims that dogs are the only creatures in the world capable of liking us more than we like ourselves. This unconditional love makes sense. After all, dog is God spelled backwards. 

Maybe you already know this, the affection of a canine. Maybe there are one or two or fifteen wet noses waking you up each morning. Or maybe you’re on the fence, deciding whether or not to adopt a furry new friend. Whatever category you fall in, dogs are interesting animals, full of facts and fun (and sometimes fleas). 

Chew on these five tidbit treats, for instance:

Did you know that a dog increases your lifespan?

The American Heart Association conducted a study that found owning a dog reduced risk of obesity, depression, high cholesterol, diabetes, anxiety, and hypertension. Some of this is likely because a dog makes a person exercise (which has its own slug of benefits). But there’s a more direct link as well: when a pet and its owner make physical contact, the blood pressure of both species decreases. Thus, get ten Labradors and live forever!

Did you know that dogs have the ability to find their owners from great distances?

If you look up the word loyalty in a dictionary, you might see a picture of a Pekingese or Golden Retriever: dogs are loyal to a fault, your most trusted confidant. They even go to great lengths to demonstrate this devotion. A dog named Bucky once walked from Virginia to Myrtle Beach in search of his owner. He followed the scent for nearly 500 miles. 

Did you know that people who have dogs feel better about themselves?

Humans need connection and canines provide this: study after study shows that dog’s decrease loneliness and make lives more fulfilling. They also make us feel better about ourselves. Want to be the best looking, smartest, funniest, most successful person in the world? Congrats! You dog already thinks you are.

Did you know that dogs have been cherished family members since the beginning of time?

Okay, so maybe not the very beginning of time (it’s hard to picture Tyrannosaurus Rex owning a Pomeranian), but relics from ancient history tells us that humans and canines have always intertwined. Tomb paintings, documents, and artifacts reveal people from all societal levels loving and caring for dogs as their own. 

Did you know that 3.9 million dogs enter rescue shelters each year? So ask yourself: exactly how much room do you have.