When you think about reasons to get a dog, the main idea that will probably come to you is that the dog will be a great companion. That’s very true; dogs do make wonderful companions – many people don’t regard their dogs as a pet at all, and they’re considered friends and real members of the family. 

This in itself is a fine reason to get a dog. After all, having friends is good for you, and coming home to an empty house is never much fun. With a dog there to make up for the silence, your house can instead become a home. Yet the truth is this is just one of the many reasons why you might choose to get a dog. Read on to find out some more. 

Protection 

Some people like the idea of having a dog in their home as a form of protection. The dog itself might not be a guard dog, but even if the only thing it does is make a lot of noise if someone tried to get into the house or something seemed unusual outside, that could be enough to alert the owner to the problem. Plus, a burglar is not going to deliberately choose to break into a house with a dog inside it if there is another option for them. 

Of course, if you really want a dog mainly for the protection element, you can actually buy fully-trained guard dogs from places such as https://scottsk9.com/. It will depend on the kind of dog you want and how much training you are personally going to be able to give it when it comes to you as to what will work best, and it’s good to know there are options available no matter what you might need. 

You’ll Be More Active 

It’s not easy to get enough exercise in your life. If you work long hours, for example, you might feel too tired to work out or join a class. Perhaps you work shifts, and so you can’t commit to a regular gym session. Maybe you have lots of other people to take care of, and by the time you have any time to yourself, exercise is the last thing on your mind. 

This is where a dog can help. Dogs will need to be walked at least once and potentially as many as three times every day. If you don’t walk a dog, they can become unhealthy and overweight, which will put a strain on their heart. They’ll also not learn how to socialise with other people (and other dogs), and they’ll have a lot of energy to use up, which could mean they misbehave. 

It’s clear that walking your dog is important for them, but it is good for you, too, because walking is a great form of exercise. As long as you can commit to walking your dog every day, you’ll both get much healthier. 

Good For Depression 

If you suffer from depression, a dog could help to improve how you feel. They are known to be natural anti-depressants for a variety of reasons. One is that, as mentioned above, you’ll need to leave the house to take care of them, and that will mean you get more vitamin D and fresh air, which can help you feel better. As well as this, having someone else to focus on, which will include spending time with them, feeding them, and perhaps bathing them, helps you to live in the moment. This is known as mindfulness, and it is a good way to combat the symptoms of depression and other mental health issues. 

Studies have even shown that being around dogs lights up the areas in the brain responsible for happiness. So not only will you feel better when you have a dog, you’ll actually become better, at least temporarily. 

You’ll Learn Responsibility 

We all need to learn how to be more responsible in life; we have to know how to take care of ourselves and how to take care of others. It’s a life skill that can truly improve relationships. Not everyone finds it easy to be responsible, but if you have a dog, you’ll quickly learn. Your dog can’t really do anything for itself, and it will rely entirely on you to keep it safe and happy. 

This is why parents often feel that getting a dog for their children is a good idea; it will help them learn about responsibility from an early age and give them useful skills for their future lives.