5 Benefits of Owning a Dog (And Why Every Man Should Get One)

5 benefits of owning a dog (And why every man should get one)

My first dog happened by accident.

My girlfriend at the time and I were visiting her father at work.

He owned construction trucks which he parked in a leased field.

The field was huge!

Many street dogs sneaked in and made it their home.

They were all over the place.

On that day, this puppy ran up to me out of nowhere. 

I had no intention of being a dog owner but decided to keep him anyways.

I named him Toby.

He lived a full life (10 years) for his breed size.

Those were 10 magical years.

It’s one of the reasons why I’ll always be a dog owner.

Let’s discuss the 5 benefits of owning a dog so you can decide if you should get one.

I’m sure you’ll be convinced to do so by the end of this article.

1) Responsibility

A dog teaches you responsibility and commitment.

You have to walk, feed, and give it attention daily.

Skip any of the above and it’ll suffer.

It becomes your responsibility to keep it happy and healthy.

I have two dogs.

One is a Doberman and the other is a mixed breed. 

No matter what day it is or what I have going on, they get walked and fed.

The Doberman’s name is Tigger.

I adopted him from a lady who could no longer care for him.

She named him Tigger after the Disney character.

My other dogs name is Teddy.

I found him at the dog park where someone abandoned him.

I’d never pay for a dog.

There are too many who need a home which you can adopt for FREE.

Paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for a dog is selfish in my opinion.

Use that money for food or other pet supplies.

2) Exercise

Having a dog forces you to exercise.

Unless you’re a bad owner who never walks the poor thing, you’ll be exercising daily.

I walk mine twice per day.

Usually first thing in the morning and at night.

Each walk is 15 minutes.

This amounts to a minimum of 30 minutes of daily exercise.

Besides their walks, I take them to the dog park a couple times per week.

In order to help them release energy and get good exercise, I run so they chase after me.

We also play fetch.

Tigger loves tennis balls.

I can throw the ball 100 times and he’ll run after it every time.

Are you lacking the will to exercise?

Get a dog.

3) Companionship

Dogs sure bring a lot of love to the house.

If you live alone, you’ll instantly feel the difference when you adopt one.

Whether you’re watching TV, working on the computer, washing your car, or cooking; your dog will be right there keeping you company.

I read how just 15-30 minutes with your dog helps you feel relaxed and calm on a stressful day.

A dog isn’t a substitute for human interaction.

You should still have a social life with family and friends.

However, on certain days, a dog’s companionship is all you want and need.

You’ll understand when you adopt one.

 4) Loyalty

Dogs are loyal till the end.

I’ve yet to come home and not have my dogs greet me at the door.

Unlike other pets who just sit there and could care less about how long you’ve been gone; a dog makes it obvious they’ve missed you.

Whether you’ve had a great or horrible day, they’ll make you feel great the moment you get home.

A dog doesn’t care how much money you have.

It doesn’t care who you are, what you do, or how you look.

All it cares is that you give it daily love.

Do that and it’ll stand by your side forever.

Trust me.

There are stories about people who pass away and their dogs sleep on their graves.

Point proven.

5) Positivity

A dog can be quite the character.

They tend to do funny and random things.

Some psychiatrist recommend one to patients who are depressed.

I’ve had days where everything seemed to go wrong but couldn’t help feel happy when I saw my dogs.

Dogs also make you more social.

Interacting with people is great for your health.

Whenever you walk them and see another dog owner, it’s likely a conversation will take place.

“What kind of breed is that?”

“How old is it?”

“How long have you had it?”

“What brand of food do you give it?”

I’ve met many dog owners.

Not only are they genuine people, but they also make great friends.

If you’re looking to meet good people, a dog park is a good place to start.

I’m not saying that every dog owner is perfect.

I’m saying that they’re guaranteed to have at least some good in them.

And when it comes down to being more positive, these type of people sure can help.

To sum it up, dogs bring you positivity in many ways.

In closing

By now, I’m sure you’re convinced to become a dog owner.

However, if you’re a busy person, owning a dog might not be a smart move.

If you’re barely home due to work or other circumstances, hold off on adopting one.

People who travel constantly won’t make good dog parents.

The last thing you want is to adopt a dog and then have to give it away.

But if you do have the time and are ready to experience the benefits of owning a dog, start looking!

Good places to look are Craigslist and Facebook adoption groups.

You can also do a Google search for “Dog adoption” in your area.

Good luck!

Talk soon,

-Alex