Today is National Dog Day, but for all of us pup parents, we know every day is a day to celebrate our four-legged best friend.
Over the years, we have written about how great dogs are — from how they support us to why are bond is so strong with them. So to honor our pup on National Dog Day, we wanted to highlight some of the reasons dogs are so amazing.
1. Dogs rule America: Canines are the most popular pet in the country, with 69 million households having a pup. Cats are second, followed by fish. Millennials lead the pack in terms of dog ownership by generation. Baby Boomers come in second place, followed by Gen X.
2. We are all about spoiling our dogs. Ninety-five percent of owners think of their dogs as part of the family, 80% celebrate their pup’s birthday, 60% buy clothes for their pooch, and 24% even make up songs about their dog (fun fact: our pups prefer classical music). Check out some goodies on our store to spoil your furry.
3. Our pups have supported us through the pandemic: A survey found that 93% of people say their dog “improved their mental and/or physical wellbeing in the last year,” and over 80% said their pet made working remotely and being at home during the pandemic more enjoyable.
Related: The Inspiring Story Behind ‘Made With Love and an Extra Chromosome’
4. They would save us if needed: While it may seem obvious that our dogs would come to our rescue if we were in trouble, it remained unknown what their motivation would be. A team of researchers discovered that they find the task rewarding, similar to the feeling they get when retrieving food.
5. Man’s best friend no more: A team of anthropologists looked through thousands of historical documents and found that they relationship dogs had with women may have been stronger than with men. This can be attributed to dogs having a higher quality of life if they had a stronger bond with women.
6. Dogs help children with socialization skills at a very young age: While it is widely known that dogs have a positive impact on children, it was recently revealed that they can provide social-emotional benefits to kiddos as young as 2 years old. “Our findings showed that young children who walked or played with their family dog more were more likely to have pro-social behaviors such as sharing and cooperating,” a professor told This Dog’s Life.
7. Protect us from dangerous health conditions: A dog’s nose is a fascinating thing. Not only can it sniff out yummy treats, but also can be trained to detect life-threatening conditions, including Covid-19, malaria, cancer, and Parkinson’s.
8. We have a very STRONG bond with our dog: When it comes to gazing in our pup’s eyes, the human-dog bond is comparable to a parent-infant connection, according to research. Scientists in Japan found that the levels of oxytocin (known as the “love hormone”) increased the longer owners and their dogs stared at each other.
9. Those who have a dog may live longer: Having a dog provides a ton of benefits, including increasing our lifespan, according to a study. “People who have a dog tend to be more physically active, have lower blood pressure levels, and better lipid profile,” Caroline K. Kramer, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, told This Dog’s Life.
Related: 8 Ways to Show Your Dogs You Love Them That You Probably Haven’t Even Thought About
10. We may be born crazy-dog people: Swedish and British researchers examined fraternal and identical twins to see if genes played a role in owning a dog. They found the likelihood that both twins would own a dog higher in identical than in non-identical. “[T]hese findings have major implications in several different fields related to understanding dog-human interaction throughout history and in modern times,” lead author Tove Fall said.
