But pets accept you unconditionally. And unconditional love is only the beginning. We ve gotten reports from married people who say that dogs and cats defuse their arguments by physically getting in between them, making the couple realize the futility or absurdity of their argument, explains Allen. Studies have shown that couples that own a pet are more satisfied with their marriages, have closer relationships, and respond better to stress than couples that do not have pets. If you have any doubt, just borrow a friend s dog, and take it for a walk.
Dog parks are full of pet owners getting to know one another while their animals run around.
Pets add a unique dimension to your social life, explains Allen. How Fido Can Keep You Fit Pets can also positively affect your physical health, and not only because walking a dog is a great form of cardiovascular exercise. For women living alone who have little contact with the outside world, a pet provides the same beneficial effects on cardiovascular health as social interactions. A 1992 Australian study by the Baker Medical Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, involving nearly 6,000 people found that pet owners not only had lower blood pressure than people who did not own pets, but they also had lower levels of cholesterol and other unhealthy blood fats. Men with AIDS who own a dog or cat are less likely to be depressed than male AIDS patients who don't have a pet, says Judith Siegel, Ph.D., a professor at the UCLA School of Public Health in Los Angeles, CA, who has studied the benefits of pet ownership.