The decision to get a dog is not one to be taken lightly. There is so much to consider including the cost, the change to your daily routine, the impact they will have on your home and family, and how you will take care of them if they were to get sick. For some, it just isn’t practical to get a dog, but for those who can, these creatures make absolutely amazing pets. If you’re considering getting a dog and the idea seems to be a good one but you’ve yet to truly commit, here are some of the reasons why you should have a dog in your life and why they make such great pets.
Dogs are Protectors
Dogs are natural protectors, meaning that if they are loyal to someone or something (such as you, your family, and your home) they will do what they can to keep it safe. This is why guard dogs exist. Although your family pet won’t be at quite the same level as a highly trained and potentially dangerous guard dog, they will still offer you a great deal of protection, which can help you feel a lot safer in your daily life.
In many cases, the dog doesn’t even have to do anything other than simply be there; if, for example, someone were thinking of breaking into your home but they saw you had a dog, they won’t know how much of a protector that dog really is. It is likely they will move onto a different house, one with a dog to worry about, rather than take a risk with yours.
Dogs Keep You Active
Dogs don’t ask for a lot. They want a happy, warm home, loving owners, the right food, and they want exercise. Other than that, they are very easy to care for, which is why dogs are often considered to be the best pets. If you want simple living life pets a dog is a great option.
Regarding the exercise a dog needs, you should be aiming to take them for a walk at least once a day, ideally twice, no matter what the weather. This is clearly good for the dog, but it’s great for you too. If your dog is getting the exercise it needs, so are you. Without a dog would you really make time to go for a daily walk, even if it was raining or very cold? Perhaps not. With a dog you have to, so you are upping the amount of exercise you get overall.
Dogs Stop You Being Lonely
Loneliness can truly be a problem for everyone, no matter what your age. You can even feel lonely when you live with other people if you aren’t able to talk to them about your problems or you don’t feel a proper connection. A dog is a great solution to this problem (a problem which, if left unchecked, can cause mental health issues). When you have a dog, you are always going to have someone there for you, someone who is glad to see you, who wants to be with you, and to whom you can talk if you want to.
Plus, when you are out with your dog, it is likely you’ll see other dog owners walking their own pets. Even if you don’t stop and talk to them, a friendly smile or wave is a great form of human connection that can make you feel so much better.