According to the Humane Society of the United States, Americans own around 78.2 million dogs. While dog ownership is a normal part of our culture, there are still millions of people who have never had the pleasure of canine companionship. The Humane Society also states that there are around 16 million dogs available for adoption from shelters at any given time. So if you or a family member or any friends have ever thought about venturing into pet ownership, now is the time, and here are three reasons to invite a dog into your life.
Hunting
Most hunters and non-hunters think that only registered and specialty-bred dog species are worthy of being a quality hunting companion, but that is simply not true. All dogs can be trained somewhat, and most dogs even remotely related to well recognized hunting species have natural hunting tendencies that can be honed and polished from proper teaching. The hunting world is full of stories of top-notch hunting dogs that weren’t supposed to amount to anything, but they did. Whether you are adopting from a shelter or obtaining an un-papered dog, you can forget every excuse you ever had for not bird hunting and start soon.
Being Social
Dogs are pack animals and being social is in their nature, so most dogs enjoy meeting other dogs and other people. There is no greater reason to interact with other like-minded people and their dogs than to lead your dog into various social situations. It is healthy for humans and dogs to interact with others, and sharing your dog-loving lifestyle in the company of other dogs and humans can be a great benefit of your canine companionship.
Self-Interest
Let’s face it, it is human nature for us to be selfish in some form. Having a pleasant canine cohort can do wonders for the human heart and psyche. It is a scientific fact that dogs can be therapeutic for all sorts of human ailments in both physical and psychological forms. A dog owner can experience unconditional companionship and receive undying loyalty by simply being a decent person and owner.
There other self-serving benefits as well. Four-legged buddies can act as an alarm system. They can protect you and keep you safe in other ways. Another great bonus of dog ownership is that they do require some form of exercise, and most dogs will force you to engage in some form of physical activity which is all for your own good anyway.
Dogs make some of the best entertainers. As they become experts at reading your body language and your habits, they can and will amaze you every day with their cleverness, sense of playfulness, and their intelligence.
Finally, an outdoor writer and one of the greatest dog owners of all time Gene Hill said, “Whoever said you can’t buy happiness, forgot about little puppies.” Amen.
