Dogs have a way of providing their owners with the kind of emotional support and friendship that they can't find with other people. Dogs provide undying love, compassion, and loyalty to their owners. You will even receive physical health benefits by caring for your dog. Not only will your feelings of sadness and loneliness go away, but your heart health will improve too.

Below are the top 7 health benefits of owning a dog.

1) Immune System Boost

If you have young children in your family, they might benefit from being exposed to dogs and pets at an early age. Some studies suggest that young children will have stronger immune systems and a reduced chance of getting allergies if they are introduced to dogs when they are young.

2) Treats Depression

So many people feel alone and depressed in this world. That is why dog ownership is on the rise. Dogs can make you feel like you're not alone anymore. They'll lift your spirits and encourage you to be more active in your life. For instance, you'll feel more compelled to go on walks and socialize with other people who are walking their dogs too. These discussions will revolve around your dog. You'll talk about their age, background, breed, and name. As your social life improves, your overall mood will improve as well.

3) Better Heart Health

Dogs will benefit your emotional heart and your physical heart. Recent studies have suggested that owning and caring for a dog can boost your cardiac health by lowering blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol. As a result, you will be less likely to get a heart attack.

4) Exercise Encouraged

Many studies have proven that dog owners do more physical activities and take more walks than people who don't own dogs. One study revealed that the average dog owner will walk 5 hours per week and the average non-dog owner will walk less than 3 hours per week. This gives the average dog owner the 30 minutes of exercise that is recommended to be done each day. Make sure you are the one who walks your dog and not someone else. The walking will boost your stamina and your overall well-being.

5) Treats ADHD

Dogs can make anyone feel better, whether it's an adult or child. This has been proven in many therapy dog sessions. For instance, a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder will have more energy released in their body if they have a furry friend to play with.

6) Treats Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you or anyone in your family suffers from a condition called rheumatoid arthritis, then dogs are a great treatment for it. Dogs will do a good job of distracting you from your discomfort. Furthermore, they will encourage you to move around more than usual. This will ultimately be good for your bones and make you feel better in the process.

7) Disease Detection

Trained service dogs have the ability to detect certain diseases related to blood sugar levels, such as diabetes. They can smell the odors to determine if you have high blood sugar or low blood sugar. Once you're able to detect these things early on, you'll be able to take the proper precautions to turn them around. That way, you won't need to make as many 911 calls. Some medical service dogs are trained to detect the early stages of cancer too.