As busy people, we can sometimes get lost in the hustle of our own world. Day-to-day tasks run our schedules and we can lose sight of what holds significance to us. As we begin to prepare for the hectic holiday season, we are offered a moment to slow down and reflect on what brings us joy. For pet parents, this gives us the chance to appreciate all that our dogs offer us. While we get to experience their love and joy each day, it can be easy to overlook when the bigger world gets crazy.
  1.       Companionship The saying “Dogs are a man’s best friend” is popular for a reason. As dog owners, we know first-hand the unconditional love and friendship they offer us in their lifetime. At times, caring for a dog may seem like an unending task, but it’s never thankless. Even in our lowest moments, our dogs are there to give us a reason to keep going. Not only that, but they celebrate our victories as well. You could say that they are truly the greatest friends we’ll ever know.
  2.       Mental health benefits A wagging tail and bright eyes are a wonderful sight to come home to. In fact, this simple greeting is shown to boost serotonin and other feel-good hormones in both humans and our dogs. Owning a dog can boost overall mood and combat feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Their presence can be both calming and reassuring, allowing us to more easily move through difficult situations.
  3.       Improving physical health Dogs keep us on our toes – figuratively and literally. Owning a dog will most certainly raise your activity level to some extent whether through walking, playing, or just generally getting more movement around the house. Walking our dogs can improve cardiovascular health, petting our dogs can lower blood pressure, and even cuddling our dogs can improve our quality of sleep.
  4.       Personal growth Bringing a dog into your life is a commitment and the way your lifestyle will change to accommodate their needs. Dogs elevate the responsibility of their owners, teaching many of us to become caregivers and nurturers. No longer does our world revolve solely around us, we must now consider our dog in all of the choices we make. Dogs teach us empathy, improve our observation skills, and make us more selfless. All in all, our dogs make us better people and that is a lot to be grateful for.