Who hasn’t left a pet store and spent the rest of the day wondering, Should I get my first puppy? Puppies are heart-melting to say the least. They easily bring a smile to your face, and if you’ve ever held a warm, soft puppy in your arms and resisted the urge to bring the little […]
Who hasn’t left a pet store and spent the rest of the day wondering, Should I get my first puppy?
Puppies are heart-melting to say the least. They easily bring a smile to your face, and if you’ve ever held a warm, soft puppy in your arms and resisted the urge to bring the little guy home, you must have some kind of superpower!
As adorable as a puppy’s large, trusting eyes look, especially when the fur ball stares up at you with unconditional love and yearns to be with you fur-ever, try not to be swayed on the spot. Buying a puppy shouldn’t be done impulsively on a whim.
Getting a puppy is a huge responsibility, and for those who have never owned a dog before, your life will change in significant ways from the moment you bring your very first puppy home. But the pros far outweigh the cons—we promise!
Owning a dog improves physical and mental health, increases responsibility and empathy, and impacts your social life, expanding it in some areas while limiting it in others. With a dog in the house, even when and how you eat could be affected if your pupper masters the art of peering up at you with hungry eyes until you cave—bone-appétit!
Read on to learn the major ways your first puppy will change your life.
Dogs are innately intuitive and have a natural ability to sympathetically perceive distress and provide comfort in response. Research has shown that when a pet parent feels down, temporarily suffering from a low mood, their dog will have a sympathetic response by feeling down, too.
But the dog won’t wallow in sadness. Instead, the dog’s instinct to comfort and uplift their owner will kick in. Puppies are no different and possess the same natural instincts. If you’ve had a ruff day, you can count on your puppy to snuggle and console you. And the results will surprise you. Not only can the comfort of a dog reduce stress by lowering cortisol and calming anxiety, your pup’s presence can also lower blood pressure and help you live a longer life.
When you have a dog in your life, exercise is no longer optional. During all stages of a dog’s development, from puppyhood to maturity and into the twilight years of their life, a dog will need daily exercise and outings, and your job will be to keep up! But that’s a good thing. Starting your day with a quick walk around the block with your new puppy will provide a metabolism boost you won’t regret. And that’s just the start of the day in your new life as a puppy parent.
Each day with your dog will include outings, whether it’s a trip to the dog park to socialize or a longer walk around the neighborhood after you return home from the office. In fact, the additional exercise you’ll get thanks to your dog could improve your overall immune system, according to Psychology Today. That’s right, fewer colds & flus, fewer days spent sick, and more days feeling happy and healthy!
Another significant way your life will change the moment you take home a puppy revolves around friendships. You’ve probably heard that a dog is a man’s best friend, but did you also know that having a dog can help you make meaningful friendships? It’s true! On the one hand, as soon as you get into your daily doggy routine of walks and outings, you’re sure to notice how friendly people become. Neighbors, strangers, and passersby will want to stop and say hello to your new puppy…
…and the friendliness won’t end just because your puppy matures into an adult dog. In fact, owners who regularly take their dogs to the same dog parks have reported making meaningful friendships with other pet parents. These relationships can come in handy later down the road if and when you need a dog walker or pet sitter on the fly. Calling in a favor that you’re prepared to return when the time comes is a surefire way to make reliable friends.
While your new puppy will surely help you make friends during outings, by contrast, having a dog will also impact your social life in another, much different way, too. You might have to say “no” to last minute plans… and you might really like it! Your new dog will be a perfect built-in excuse to avoid all those stuffy events you don’t want to RSVP “yes” to.
There is a downside, though. There will be times when you want to let loose and spontaneously act on a last-minute invitation. Having a dog means having a dependant, period, which means that living your life as a truly single person will be over. You might even miss out on parties and fun out-of-town trips if you can’t find a dog walker, pet sitter, or someone to commit to stopping in on your pooch while you’re away.
Lastly, the biggest way your life will change thanks to your new puppy is that you’ll finally “get” why people refer to their pups as their “babies.” Sleeping in extra late, eating a meal in uninterrupted peace, and taking a spontaneous trip out of town are the lifestyle perks you may have to kiss goodbye once you become a pet parent to a puppy. But trust us, you won’t even miss it once you experience what you’ll gain instead.
A dog is a friend for life that offers emotional support, improved cardiovascular health, and a healthy push to go beyond your comfort zone, and the advantages of having a dog don’t end there. Dog owners enjoy improvements in their mood and happiness levels.
Yes, housebreaking and training a new puppy can be time consuming and challenging. But the pros of having a puppy far outweigh any cons. Your journey to finding the perfect puppy starts at Petland Texas. Check out our adorable puppies for sale and the 6 weeks of free puppy training we offer to help you have the best possible relationship with your new furry friend.
