The history of dogs as pets stretches back at least 27,000 years when dogs were first domesticated from grey wolves. Initially, the tamest wolves might have approached human settlements in search of food. Our pre-historic ancestors soon realised how useful dogs were for hunting and warding off predators.
Dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans. This early alliance between humans and dogs was certainly mutually beneficial, especially at a time when hunting and protection were vitally important. Now, most people recognize that the benefits of sharing a close friendship with a dog run much deeper.
How you can support your dog's health
Today, dogs are trained to assist people with disabilities and to become therapy dogs that help deal with a person’s mental illness. As companion animals, studies have shown that dogs benefit human health by promoting physical activity, helping to cope with difficult life situations, diminishing heart disease risk factors, as well as alleviating depression, anxiety, and social isolation.
Does a dog help you live longer?
For example, a study comparing married couples with a pet vs. couples without one concluded that resting heart rates and blood pressure were lower among pet owners than in the control group and that pet owners recovered faster from stress.
Further, for pet owners aged 50–83 with mild hypertension, the presence of a dog was associated with lower blood pressure, increased happiness, and reduced feelings of anger, frustration, and irritation.
Another study has recently made headlines, that dog owners live longer. The 12-week study concluded that owning a dog was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in single households and with a reduced risk of cardiovascular and all-cause death in the general population.
Read the full study in Scientific Reports
"As companion animals, studies have shown that dogs benefit human health by promoting physical activity, helping cope with difficult life situations, diminishing heart disease risk factors, as well as alleviating depression, anxiety, and social isolation."
The risk of heart disease may also be linked to allergies and asthma, due to higher levels of inflammation, reduced physical activity, depression, or obesity. And several studies suggest that growing up in a home with a pet reduces the risk of suffering from allergies or asthma. Besides reducing allergy and eczema risk, one-year-old babies who grew up with a pet in their home had a stronger immune system. (Source)
Superfood for man’s best friend
Dogs provide us with so much joy and have become more than just man’s best friend. Today, dogs are treated like family members and therefore deserve the best care. To support dogs to achieve a healthy life span, we should ensure that their diet includes healthy ingredients.
Why dogs need omega-3 supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids have become a common ingredient in a wide range of pet food products. A unique, natural, and sustainable source of omega-3 fatty acids is krill, a shrimp-like crustacean living in the Southern Ocean.
Included in your pet food as a meal or a supplement, it not only contains omega-3 fatty acids but also highly digestible proteins and other important nutrients. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids for pet health has been proven in numerous studies, showing benefits for heart, kidney, liver, joint, brain, eye, skin, and coat health.
While dietary supplementation of dogs with omega- 3 from krill is good for dog health, indirectly it also benefits dog owners’ health, since owning a pet has been shown to improve human health.
