The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Health Is To Get A Dog- Is It True?

With so much emphasis on health, especially during the pandemic, people have resorted to all sorts of methods to improve their overall health. When we say overall, it includes both physical and mental health. Mental health has been a highly talked about the topic recently, primarily due to the fact that it has been ignored for decades. People did not really bother improving their mental health as there was not much information about it, and they hardly knew its existence. But as the concept has caught up, there are several methods people suggest that would help you improve your mental health.

Is Mental Health More Important Than Physical Health?

Well, we cannot really compare both as both are important. You have to focus on both as they are interlinked. Physical health plays an essential role in keeping you mentally sane, and mental health can affect your body in several ways. If you just focus on one, you are not doing it right.

Why Mental Health Is Such A Big Issue

The world is not such a simple place as it used to be. People are getting more competitive, the crime rate is rising, inflation has made everything expensive, and everyone is trying to survive. This only means the modern lifestyle is really stressful. Most of us have used the terminology stress and depression at least once in our lifetime, and that is because it is becoming a common issue in today’s generation. The good news is that the awareness around this topic is also on the rise; hence slowly, people are finding many ways to deal with this.

How Does A Dog Health Your Health?

Many people simply suggest others get a dog just to improve their health. Is it really true that a dog can help you become fit? This statement is true to some extent, but some conditions are applied. You should be a dog lover for it to actually work, for starters. You also need to have the time, money, and patience to deal with a dog. Getting a pet may sound exciting but owning one is a lot of responsibility.

If you are stressed out because you already have a lot of things to deal with and are loaded with responsibilities, then a dog is not the answer to improving your mental health. That does not mean you should get a dog if you have the time, as several other factors are involved.

You have to start by choosing the right breed of dog. If you are looking to be physically fit, the toy breed will not help you as they hardly need any exercise. Stick to large breed dogs that are energetic and require you to take them out more often. As you engage with them to help them burn their energy, you will burn additional energy.

If you are seeking to get a dog to deal with mental health issues, but you are not really an active person, then choose smaller dog breeds like Cavapoo, which offers excellent companionship but does not demand as much exercise time. You can get Cavapoo puppies for sale here.

Apart from the breed, you also need to be ready to become responsible, be prepared to increase your monthly expense, and sacrifice a bit of your social life for your dog.

When Should You Not Consider Getting A Dog?

Dogs are anxious animals who prefer to be around their humans and do not like to be left alone. Hence, this arrangement will work only when you are home most of the day. Otherwise, you will have to deal with an anxious dog every day, which cannot be mentally relaxing. Another factor you have to take care of is your physical health. You need to be for to care for an animal. If not, you will have to find someone who can help you with the dog. If none of this is possible, then an additional responsibility will further stress you out.

Your living situation is also a factor that you need to consider. It is better for people who live in stand-alone homes to get a dog as they would have a backyard for the dog. If you live in an apartment, then your responsibilities will increase as you have to take your dog on many walks every day. Especially large breed dogs are really active and will need more exercise. If not, then they can get really destructive and ruin your apartment. The dog also becomes dependent on you to take it down to relieve themselves, which means you have to fit that into your schedule as well.

You should get a friend’s dog and take care of it for a few days to understand if you can actually take care of a dog and not overburden yourself. The last thing you need when stressed is an additional responsibility, which seems like a burden. If you are comfortable taking care of the dog, then you may consider getting one. But there will be times when you may get overwhelmed, and you need to be ready for that.

Just A Dog Is Not The Solution

Your stress is not going to vanish automatically if you get a dog. You have to do more than that. Talk to an expert and learn to deal with mental stress. Understand the source of it so that you can figure out the solution. Masking your anxiety with a dog is not a long-term solution. You have to deal with the source of stress and either eliminate it or learn to deal with it over time.

The Bottom Line

Yes, dogs are adorable and loyal companions that help you stay sane in the toughest of situations, but you also need to be committed to providing them a loving home to build that bond. This relationship will develop when you are determined to form a bond with the animal so that it connects to you and create an unbreakable bond.

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