I had so much fun making this chart for you! I love when I get to be creative.
This is the inspiration behind me creating this fun chart; I had a friend say to me the other day, “Suzy, I know you love your pets but aren’t they so much work? I have thought about getting a little dog before but then, when I think about taking care of one, it just exhausts me.” She followed it up with, “Don’t you ever feel that way? Just exhausted with everything else you have going on in your life….”
It was honestly a fair question. Between a husband, kids, my job, friends, managing a household, my hobbies; yes, I do have a lot going on. And yes, some days having the pets (2 dogs and 2 cats) just seems like a lot more extra work.
I realize a lot of other people must feel the same. So I started thinking about all of the ways that pets positively influence our lives.
Here is my list:
1. You always have a walking partner. It can be more enjoyable to walk with a companion. Dogs are always excited to go for a walk too. There are even a few cats that like to take a stroll. Studies show that dog owners walk almost 25 minutes longer each day than non-dog owners. Having a pet can improve your fitness.
2. Your blood pressure will be lower. Having a pet that you find soothing has been shown to lower blood pressure. This can decrease the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
3. Pets are great for kids. Kids adore pets. Having a pet can help children to be more social, develop stronger immune systems, and learn responsibility. With the right pet, your child always has someone to play with.
4. You have something to take care of. Life is more meaningful to many folks if they have someone or something that relies on them. Cardiac patients with pets are four times more likely to survive for at least a year than those patients without pets. A pet can give your life a purpose.
5. Less stress. Spending time with a pet can increase oxytocin and other feel-good hormones in the body. It feels soothing to pet your dog or cat.
6. Uplift your mood. Pets reduce the likelihood and severity of depression. If you’ve ever had a pet, you already know that you feel better after spending time with your pet. If you’ve never had a pet, what are you waiting for?
7. Greater social life. It turns out that dog owners have more active social lives. Most people like dogs, and dogs can reduce social tension. It’s easier to walk up to a stranger with a dog than one without.
8. Less pain. People that spend time with dogs after surgery use less pain medication after surgery than those who don’t. This benefit seems to extend to other situations as well. If you have chronic pain, having a pet that you love can help.
9. Someone to talk to. Pets are the perfect conversation companions. They’re interested in what you have to say. They never judge. There was even one study that found that intelligent people are more likely to talk to a pet.
10. A pet can help to keep you and your home safe. While a potential burglar might not be concerned with your cat or parakeet, most would-be intruders prefer to avoid homes with dogs. Even a small dog can make quite a lot of noise when something is wrong.
When I think about how much our pets have enriched the lives of my children, that reason alone makes up for all of the work and expense. And children can be taught early the importance of responsibility and caring for another living being.
Caring for the pets can be a family affair. And it can actually be F-U-N!
Our family likes to turn the pet care responsibilities into a game. The kids love it!
If you think your family may like something similar, check out this ⇒ Dog Tips Manual with a FREE CARD GAME
This set is a fun way of getting the entire family involved in caring for the pets. The kids will be included in the care and that means less work for you… That’s what I call a WIN-WIN!
The card game covers almost all of the basic pet care needs; feeding, grooming, walking, bathing and more! You shuffle the deck and then practice or complete whatever card is pulled. This is great fun for adults and children.
Get all the details ⇒ HERE.
Can you think of any healthy benefits of having pets that I didn’t include? How has your pet(s) positively impacted your life? I would love to hear about it.
If you know someone who is “on the fence” about getting a pet because she thinks it will be too much work, time, and expense, share this list.
I think most of us with pets can agree that we get way more in return from our fur-babies than we give.
Give your fur-babies a kiss for me!
’til next time,
