5 Ways Owning a Dog Benefits Writers

You’re probably heard that owning a dog is good for you.

I’m here to tell you—it’s even better for you if you’re a writer.

As some of you already know, I rescued a shelter dog—Storm—several weeks ago. (Read more about that here.)

I’ve owned dogs all my life, so this isn’t a new experience for me. But I’ve been dogless for the last five years, and I now realize that during that time, I kind of forgot all the ways a dog can benefit a writer’s life.

5 Ways Owning a Dog Can Make Your Writing Life Better

1. Dogs Inspire You to Move More

This is by far the biggest benefit for writers. We are way too sedentary. Here I am a professional health writer and I didn’t realize how sedentary I had become—outside of that hour a day of scheduled workout time.

Research shows that while a daily workout is beneficial, if we’re sedentary the rest of the time, we’re still at risk for other health problems.

A study by the Cancer Prevention Research Centre, for instance, found that even when adults met physical activity guidelines—exercising for 30 minutes a day, for instance—sitting for prolonged periods still compromised their health, to the point of increasing the risk of premature death!

I now go out and spend time playing with or training my dog at least three times a day, in addition to a daily walk that lasts at least an hour. My activity level now compared to when I didn’t have a dog has at least doubled.

It’s one thing to say you’re going to exercise. It’s another to have another living creature relying on you for their daily exercise—it makes a difference.

2. Owning a Dog Makes Writers More Social

One of the difficult things many writers deal with is isolation. We spend a lot of time alone on our computers creating our stories. If we’re not diligent in countering that activity with social activities, we can become too isolated, and suffer related consequences like depression and even an increased risk of heart disease.

They say owning a dog makes you more approachable, and I’ve seen this firsthand. I regularly take walks around the many parks in my area, and I pass other people every day. When I’m by myself, most just go about their business. Some will give me a friendly nod as they pass by.

Now that I have a dog again, though, wow—what a huge difference. People smile big, tell me how pretty she is, ask me how old she is and what breed she is, etc. If they have a dog too, they’ll often start up a conversation about “dog” stuff like training, breeds, troubleshooting, and the like.

A few days ago, I carried on a good 10-minute dog with a perfect stranger who had a Belgian Malinois pup and was living out of her van with her three kids.

This brings me to benefit #3.

3. Owning a Dog Opens You to New Experiences

Whatever dog you have, it opens you up to new experiences, because each one is unique.

My dog Storm, for instance, is extremely athletic. Before I even brought her home, I checked into agility classes in my local area. I found one and observed a class, and now I’ve begun training Storm on jumps, with the hopes of moving to weaving poles next.

I don’t have any experience with agility or agility training, so all of this is brand new to me—and exciting. It’s always fun to learn something new. Plus research shows that when we challenge ourselves this way, it’s good for the brain.

Trying new things is one of the best things you can do to protect your brain health as you age—definitely something most writers are interested in, as we want to keep writing forever!

4. Owning a Dog Improves Your Heart Health

You may have already guessed that owning a dog is good for your heart. The dog inspires you to move and exercise more—and exercise is tied to good cardiovascular health.

But dog ownership goes even further than that. The American Heart Association notes that pet ownership is associated with:

• reduced blood pressure
• reduced cholesterol levels
• healthier body weight
• improved functioning of the nervous system
• decreased response to stress (meaning the body handles stress better)

All of these effects combine to create better overall cardiovascular health and a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.

And a dog is a lot cheaper than multiple doctor appointments!

5. Dog Ownership Reduces a Writer’s Risk of Depression

As a writer, you may have found yourself prone to depression, or at least to experiencing down periods where you tend to feel blue most of the time.

Some scientific research suggests that people who own dogs are less likely to develop depression than those who don’t.

In a 2017 study of about 250 people at risk for depression, for instance, scientists found that those who didn’t own a dog were three times more at risk for depression than those who did own dogs.

A later study also found that dog ownership reduced loneliness and improved mental well-being.

Other studies have found mixed results, so we can’t be sure about this yet, but if you are someone who enjoys spending time with a pet, having a dog will likely help you to feel more mentally balanced overall.

What benefits do you experience from owning a dog?