Friday, May 16, 2014

Pet Ownership: How It Benefits You & Your Family

By Garrett McMahan


If you already own a dog or several dogs, it's probably no surprise to you that having a dog in your life has many benefits. Not only are they great companions, they also can improve your health in many ways. Here are just a few of the many positive aspects of pet ownership.

Your kids definitely will benefit from having a dog around. School-age children can improve their level of responsibility by handling some of your pet's care. This includes making sure your pet has food and water, as well as helping bathe the dog and brush his fur. Older children can take the dog for walks, and this also provides exercise for both of them. Infants actually see some benefits too as studies have shown that having a dog in the home reduces the likelihood of developing allergies to dogs later in life.

Dogs often can help people who have suffered a trauma, and this includes children or adults that have lost a loved one or perhaps have simply had to deal with a difficult, depression or violent episode in their lives. Having a dog has been shown to reduce the effects of stress, trauma and depression including seasonal affective disorder. People with dogs also tend to be less lonely as they have a warm and fuzzy creature always ready for some love and attention. Pet ownership also has been linked with lower blood pressure and even petting a dog can lower someone's blood pressure. People who have been badly injured or had a heart attack or surgery have been show to recover more quickly if they have a dog.

People who have dogs also tend to be a bit more physically fit, as dogs make us get out into the fresh air and take walks. This is good for both of you and regular exercise reduces our risk of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. There are also some social benefits that people with dogs enjoy. After all, we meet a lot of fellow dog owners and dog lovers while we are out walking our dogs, and it is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. This can be great if you have moved to a new area and don't know a lot of people, Just find the dog park and you are sure to meet many interesting locals and, of course, Fido will make some friends, too.

Home security is also another benefit from dog ownership, even if your dog isn't a breed such as a Rottweiler or German shepherd. While not all breeds can take down an intruder, a dog is an excellent first alert system as they sense and hear noise long before we do. Just the sound of a dog's bark can be enough to dissuade an intruder from entering a home. In addition, there are countless stories about how dogs have saved their owners life. They alert their owners about home fires, have gone to get help when their owners were stuck in a dangerous situation and even have fought off intruders or wild animals, keeping children and others safe from harm.

While all of these benefits are great, if your dog exhibits a host of troubling and irritating behavior, you probably aren't enjoy your relationship as much as you could. Fortunately with a bit of patience and time, most problems can be solved with good dog training. You don't even have to leave your home or call in a trainer. Most of the time, a dog training video program, such as The Dog's Way, can help you teach your dog all the basics, such as sitting, staying, laying down, coming when you call, obeying boundaries and not running away. You also can curb issues such as excessive barking, jumping and chewing on your possessions. The Dog's Way includes five dog training DVDs that include one dozen step-by-step lessons, as well as corresponding workbook, 15 reminder cards and access to a special website just for customers.




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