Andrea Rosebrock 
For most of us who share our homes and our live with our furry canine companions, it’s not much of a secret but it’s always kind of nice when the rest of the world finally realizes what we knew all along. 
A recent study in Britain has come to the conclusion that dogs are the secret to health and happiness because dog owners feel obligated to walk their pooches regardless of how they feel, thus they get exercise and just getting out can improve mood.
The 65 dog owners who were interviewed for the study said dogs brought them into contact with the owners of other dogs and bolstered their social lives, said Sarah Knight, a doctoral student in psychology at the university.
“The aim of the project was to look at attitudes to the management of dog-walking, but what we found was that people really wanted to tell us about the many benefits of walking their dogs,” Knight said.
Knight said that many participants in the study were retired people, including those who had been widowed or otherwise lived alone, or were recovering from illness or operations.
Younger participants discussed how dog-walking involved them more with their families because it is an activity adults and children can share.
The research also found that parents were pleased that children would leave behind the television and computer and get some fresh air and exercise by walking the dog. (Canada.com)
There are also quite a few other health benefits that they didn’t even mention such as the fact that just petting a dog can help to lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and heart rates as well as the boosts to mental health such as stress reduction. These are not just opinions either, they are research backed realities.
And we all know about therapy and companion dogs, the miracles they bring to those they share their lives and time with. Pet owners actually live longer then people without pets just because of the companionship.
So, take you medicine daily… it’s an easy prescription and you don’t even need a doctor to prescribe it for you! 
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