By Olivia Yin
Many people have gotten quarantine dogs during this crazy pandemic. Although getting a pet could also just add chaos into the owner’s life, dogs can have a lot of benefits as well.
“Getting a quarantine puppy has been the best decision I ever made,” said senior Allie Rosenberg. “She has definitely been my source of happiness throughout all of this craziness!” Her adorable dog has made several Google Meet appearances, and can make people smile even through the screen.
Besides being cuddly and friendly, dogs have shown major health benefits for their caretakers. First, studies have shown that dogs can improve your heart health. Having a dog links to lower blood pressure, less cholesterol and more. It is better for your overall cardiovascular health. Although this might not be a concern for students, this is definitely an important benefit for the elderly population.
Additionally, having a dog is a great way to get exercise as dog owners are more likely to hit their healthy exercise goals and get outside. Teenagers need a least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity in order to keep healthy. Because walking dogs can provide from 10 to even 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each walk, that can be enough to make a difference. As a result, having a dog can help you lose weight.
Besides physical benefits, dogs also can improve your mental health, especially during this pandemic. Taking a break from your screen to play with a pet is a good way to clear your mind and rest your eyes.
More scientifically, dogs have shown to lower stress levels which right now can be very high due to hindrances from COVID, political news, and adapting to a new learning and working environment. Dogs lower blood pressure and anxiety levels, and increase serotonin and dopamine which play a role in stabilizing moods. And although the idea that dog owners are less likely to have depression is not entirely true for all demographics, therapy dogs are trained to act in ways that benefit humans giving them comfort. This can be helping Alzheimer’s patients or people with trauma. There are other dogs that are trained to assist humans like dogs that can detect diseases and illnesses like prostate cancer.
What does all this mean? Well, the pandemic is a perfect excuse to get a quarantine pet. Maybe I’ll finally convince my own parents this time.
