Dog Information

Is it true that keeping a pet dog at home lowers your blood pressure?

I've read on several articles about the benefits of keeping a dog as a pet at home, that owners' blood pressure lowers. Could anyone confirm this backed up by a scientific study? I would appreciate it profusely. Thank you!

Public Comments

1. As a generalization that would be true. Just remember that not everyone is effected the same by the presence of a dog.
2. i'm an animal lover and i'd like to say i've seen this work for my friend, who had a heart attack at the age of 42. he has a dog, and it doesn't seem to have affected his blood pressure. the only time his BP looks good is when he controls his diet, cuts down on smoking (yes, the tard still smokes) and has a drink now and then.
3. yes it also helps to not keep my children from fighting w/ eachother
4. have in my time had both a dog and lots of cats .. Having a dog I found stressful .. you always have to know where he/she is and what they are doing. . having a cat is calming ..
5. Not if you just go out and buy a dog as a blood pressure control "thing". It is the wonderful reciprocal, genuinely loving relationship between you and your pet that releases those good chemicals into the system and leads to positive results like lowered blood pressure, healthier immune system, and a generally improved sense of well being. My husband and I have had animal companions for many years, and the bond we have always developed with our wonderful dog-friends has been deep, and beneficial to both them and us. It is only when you are capable of this very special level of true loving and caring between animal and man, that the "magic" works.
6. Boy I hope that's true. I have 3 dogs but I still have to take blood pressure meds. Maybe one day I wont.
7. i have also HEARD that people who own pets live longer and are much healthier!! i'll be evidence that having my "MAX" kept me healthy mentally and physically through a very tough time in my life!!!
8. I can relate to that, I had major back surgeory, painful, omg, yes it lowers blood pressure, calms down pain, as my animals will lay where I hurt, and just by them showing me affection, I return it there is something special that goes on. My animals knows when I am upset, even my Umbrella cockatoo. When I had to put my 19 year old cat to rest, I was so upset, my bird was quiet for a week, my cats, just showed affection and my dog wouldn't leave my sight. It is called unconditional love and affectionl;
9. Yes. Once you trained the dog well, it will become loyal to you. It will listen to whatever you say, so you don't have to get angry at him or her.
10. nooooope i have 4
11. I think having a pet is good but I think everyone needs a cat and a dog so everything stays balanced. The dog to adore and the cat to ignore you.
12. Yes its true. Its also therapy to have animals, thats why so many people take animals dogs and cats to senior citizen homes to visit them and comfort them. I believe all animals are gifts from GOD and angels at times. Whenever I have a panic attack my little chi's come right up to me and crawl up to lick my face. They are so smart. God is so good:)
13. yes it's true. i have 6 dogs at home. i love them so much. they are like my babies. playing with them eases my tension for a hard days work. they give me reason to come home early and eagerly. =)
14. yes its true. people with pets also live longer. we have the research on site www.eurobichons.com The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership When thinking of ways to reduce stress in life, usually techniques like meditation, yoga and journaling come to mind. These are great techniques, to be sure. But getting a new best friend can also have many stress relieving and health benefits. While human friends provide great social support and come with some fabulous benefits, this article focuses on the benefits of furry friends: cats and dogs! Research shows that, unless you’re someone who really dislikes animals or is absolutely too busy to care for one properly, pets can provide excellent social support, stress relief and other health benefits—perhaps more than people! Here are more health benefits of pets: Pets Can Improve Your Mood: For those who love animals, it’s virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets. A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet. (According to a press release, men with AIDS who did not own a pet were about three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than men who did not have AIDS. But men with AIDS who had pets were only about 50 percent more likely to report symptoms of depression, as compared to men in the study who did not have AIDS.) Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs: Yes, it’s true. While ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren’t as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. However, in a , groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets. When they heard of the results, most of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets! Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise: Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners do than non-pet owners, at least if we live in an urban setting. Because exercise is good for stress management and overall health, owning a dog can be credited with increasing these benefits. Pets Can Help With Social Support: When we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet, giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends and acquaintances, which also has great stress management benefits. Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love: Pets can be there for you in ways that people can’t. They can offer love and companionship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences, keep secrets and are excellent snugglers. And they could be the best antidote to loneliness. In fact, research shows that nursing home residents reported less loneliness when visited by dogs than when they spent time with other people! All these benefits can reduce the amount of stress people experience in response to feelings of social isolation and lack of social support from people. Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People: While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener, recent research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present! (This may be partially due to the fact that pets don’t judge us; they just love us.) It’s important to realize that owning a pet isn’t for everyone. Pets do come with additional work and responsibility, which can bring its own stress. However, for most people, the benefits of having a pet outweigh the drawbacks. Having a furry best friend can reduce stress in your life and bring you support when times get tough. Updated: March 11, 2006Important disclaimer information about this About site. Resources for Pet Owners: All About Dogs All About Cats Aquarium Fish and Stress Reduction More On Living a Low-Stress Lifestyle The Benefits of Laughter Top Ways to Reduce Stress 6 Great Ways to Start Your Day More on Stress and Health Cortisol and Stress How Stress Affects Your Body Unconventional Stress Relievers Related Articles Dogs: question followups Book Review - Pet First Aid: Cats and Dogs Pet Adoption - Seniors Can Benefit from Pet Adoption First Aid Readiness Key To Pet Ownership Pet Rescue and Adoption: Rescue Cat Qualifies for Delta... Sponsored Links 13 Signs of Burnout Avoiding Stress, Depression and Burnout by expert Henry Neils www.assessment.com Information On Stress Free Information And Resource Site On Getting Rid Of Stress. www.ridofstress.net Managing Work Stress Prevent and Reduce Stress with In-House Training for all staf www.in-equilibrium.co.uk Natural Stress Reliever Works fast to reduce anxiety, worry & tension. Order online. 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15. It has been shown in serveral studies that pets help us when we are feeling sick. God put that in them so they are able to help us in a time of need. when sick some animals go into protective mode because they love us, also they are showing us the love back that be show them.
16. yes my dogs antics when i get home from, a long roadtrip works just as good as akiss &cuddle from your wife, actually. i always sit outside and unwinds playing with my dog, it gives me that feeling like the air goes out of a balloon sort of thing you can feel your uptightnes relax so doggy cure for me!!
17. Don't know about the b/p thing but it is a clinical fact that people who have dogs in their latter yrs live longer & the love of a dog is a definite stress reliever. Dog, after all is God spelled backwards.
18. yes, it is true. having a pet lowers blood pressure, helps with depression. i don't know the scientic proof
19. check out this website... there is a link to the American Heart Association where it cites a study: http://www.health-alliance.com/contentarchive/January00/heart.html
20. No not nessecarily because I suppose when you got the dog you knew the responsibilities with it.I f you put your foot down and train the dog from the jump it will be obedient and you wont have to worry about raise your blod pressure.