Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Around 15,000 years ago, people began domesticating dogs when they realized the innumerable benefits that came with these creatures…not just their cute noses and puppy eyes. From protection to enhanced hearing and sense of smell, humans have benefited from dogs for millenniums.

The relationship goes both ways as our canine friends benefit from companionship and easy supply of food. Dogs have evolved over the years to become attuned to people’s behavior and emotions. They can interpret our tone and understand some of the words we say, along with our body language and gestures.

Scientists have recently begun to explore the health benefits of keeping pets, particularly dogs. Studies have shown that owning a dog can lead to reduced stress levels, improved physical fitness, healthy blood pressure, and decreased effects of chronic conditions. Dogs boost their owners’ overall health and well-being.

Let’s explore some ways that your beloved pet may be helping you stay fit and healthy:

Decreased Chances and Effective Management of Chronic Illnesses

Generally, dog owners experience reduced levels of pain. Their reliance on pain killers simmers down, even if they suffer from chronic illnesses or when recovering from surgery. Elderly people require 20% less medical attention and care if they own dogs. Owning pets even reduces the amount of money a person spends on medical bills.

Owning dogs can increase your lifespan and help you live a longer, healthier life by decreasing the chances of you developing chronic conditions. Dogs are sometimes trained to help manage symptoms of various diseases, but even an untrained dog has innate qualities that help.

Let’s explore how dogs affect various illnesses and conditions:

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Dogs can help manage neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. People with Alzheimer’s disease display behavioral issues and resultant stress. Dogs can help manage that stress and anxiety as they are playful, gentle, and docile. They reduce aggressive behavior and outbursts by soothing their owners when they detect emotional disturbance.

Patients with dementia experience loneliness and emotional pain due to forgetfulness. Dogs can help impede this loneliness as they promote social behavior and reduce agitation and anxiety.

Heart Conditions

Pet owners have a generally low level of triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which are major indicators of cardiac illnesses. There’s a possibility of heart attack after-effects lowering when patients own a dog. In fact, the chances of another heart attack may decrease and cardiac patients tend to live longer when they own pets.

PTSD, Mood Disorders, Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders

Adopting a dog decreases stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Dogs help maintain blood pressure at an optimum level, keeping it regulated whether it’s higher or lower than the healthy range.

Petting, stroking, cuddling, or playing with a dog stimulates the production of happy hormones. It fires neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, producing a calming, soothing effect.

Dogs also help their owners by forcing them to leave their houses for walks. A little time in the sun and change of scenery can help patients with mood disorders. Dogs may even promote mindfulness and living in the moment, which is something mental health patients can greatly benefit from.

Obesity and Diabetes

Dogs help people reduce weight as they require regular exercise. Studies have shown that walking a dog helps both the owner and their fur baby reduce and maintain weight.

Another study found that people who walked dogs for up to 20 minutes, five days a week, lost an average of 14.4 pounds in a year without modifying their diet plans.

With rising levels of childhood obesity, owning dogs will allow children to maintain a healthy weight. Dogs give children a reason to leave their house, spend time out of doors, and get some physical exercise. This could potentially help reduce their chances of developing obesity.

Dog owners have 1/3 the risk of countering diabetes than people who don’t own dogs. The risk of Type II Diabetes greatly reduces when physical activity is maintained.

Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases

Children who own dogs are less likely to develop allergies, even if they are genetically predisposed to them with a family history. Children who grow up with pets are less likely to have diseases like asthma and eczema. This is because dogs help create antibodies in children by introducing them to dander, etc. In fact, exposure to animals allows children to develop a stronger immunity in general. The chances of developing an allergy decrease by 33%.

If allergies run in your family, owning a pet may a great way to reduce the chances of developing them.

Improving Physical Fitness

Apart from chronic illnesses, dogs also promote physical activity. They are active creatures and enjoy all kinds of exercise immensely. You can try hiking with your dog for the added fun of exploring nature while you reach your fitness goals.

The Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that dog owners are more likely to reach their fitness goals. Physical activity increases by 70% when people own a dog. Their habits may also shift from activities that require less mobility to walks and playing with the pets in the backyard.

Puppies increase their owner’s walking speed by 28%, which means that their owners experience an improved quality of exercise. Dog owners are also more likely to adhere to fitness routines and goals.

Even teens are more physically active when they own a dog! Our canine friends are capable of doing what an adult never can and manage to get teens out of their cozy little rooms to enjoy a brisk walk in the sun.

Bottom Line

Remember that dogs need to be regularly fed, groomed, walked, and taken to the vet. Owning a dog is a big responsibility, don’t think about adopting one for the sole purpose of improving your health. Dogs are great for your health, but you must also have the time and the financial means to provide them the best life possible.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.