Benefits of Dog Ownership

While we often focus on the wellness of the human members of your family, it is also important to remember those pets that we love! June 26^th is National Take Your Dog to Work Day…wouldn’t it be fun to be able to take your dog along with you to work, school, and shopping? Here are a few facts about the benefits of dog ownership from dogvacay.com and livescience.com.

Regular dog walking improves fitness levels, and your dog can be a motivator to get you out there.
Patting a dog lowers blood pressure and lessens anxiety.
Dog owners recover faster from illness.
Children who have dogs tend to have better self-esteem.
Playing with dogs elevates serotonin and dopamine levels, making you feel good.
Dogs can help hyperactive kids keep calm.
Potential burglars are often put off by barking dogs.
Research has shown children who grow up with furry animals have less risk of allergies and asthma and are also less likely to have eczema.
Dogs help improve loneliness.
There are a lot of free activities you can do with your dog such as going to a park, going on a hike, or training your dog.
Owning a dog teaches responsibility.

So if you’re a dog owner, give your dog an extra pat or a super long walk for all the good things he/she does for you. If your children are bugging you to get a dog consider the benefits and enjoy the experience; you and your children will never forget it! If you don’t think your home is ready for a pet, stop by SPCA of Tompkins County and offer to volunteer; that way you can all receive the benefits of having each other in your lives.

Monthly Messages are brought to you by the Tompkins County Youth Services Department, a proud partner of The Community Coalition for Healthy Youth.

If you have further questions or comments about this message or would like information on how to become involved with the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth, please email ahendrix@tompkins-co.org

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For more information on-line, go to Links – Tips for Families, Parents and Youth Workers