Here are 5 reasons to get a dog when retiring.
1. A dog can improve your physical health a great deal. Dogs need to be walked a few times a day and it's not something you can put off. This keeps you constantly motivated to take walks. In a way, the dog is walking you, not the other way around! Walking of course is a great way to keep your cardiovascular system in shape, i.e. it is good for human health and for dog health. Walking your dog is also a way to ensure you'll get outside and fill your lungs with some healthy fresh air. Even in a tidy house, stale inside air can be highly polluted. Frequently going outside is also great for your psyche. If your dog doesn't seem interested in walking every day, one way to motivate her is to go on a walk right before feeding time when she gets her favorite dog food!
2. Having a dog can also work wonders for your social life. It is very natural for dogs to stop and interact with other dogs as you walk along. This often leads to their humans pleasantly interacting as well. Of course, it is important that a dog be properly trained and socialized so that they get along with other people and different breeds of dogs they will encounter when walking or while playing in the park. There are various techniques that can be used to accomplish this. A friendly dog meet and greet is a great conversation starter. People who would never speak to one another otherwise may quickly become fast friends when they are out and about with their dog.
3. A dog can also improve your interpersonal life at home too. Often times, when one or both spouses retire, this major change can create new conflict within a marriage. A dog helps to assuage this in much the same way as children do by becoming a shared focus of positive attention. You and your spouse both love the dog and want what's best for him or her, and thus you work cooperatively toward that goal, improving your relationship in the process.
4. Dogs also help older adults remain young at heart. They reduce stress and anxiety by being a constant comfort. The act of gently stroking a dog can make anger and sadness melt away. This is why "therapy dogs" are now being used in nursing homes and hospitals. Interacting with a dog reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is the "stress hormone" and it can lead to health issues like depression, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and heart disease.
5. Dogs can help you keep mentally keen as well. You naturally want to learn more about canine health so you can keep your dog healthier, give them a higher quality of life, and help them live longer. Toward this end, you may end up researching topics like what type of dog feed to feed them, how to keep their fur in good shape, what type of ancestry your particular dog breed may have, the various health issues associated with your dog breed, and how to keep them happy. Learning about dogs and applying this to caring for your own dog becomes a fascinating and rewarding hobby. The best part is that the more you care for your dog, the richer and more rewarding your own life will be.
Be sure to feed your dog a high quality dog food so he or she will stay in top form. A dog fed a lower quality dog food may act sluggish, have persistent, skin allergies, and more easily suffer from disease!
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