Power of Positivity
December 04, 2020

Man’s best friend just got ghosted. A recent survey by Simple Texting, an SMS marketing and communications service, revealed that 40% of dog parents say they would choose separation from their dog for a month instead of giving up their smartphone.

The survey involved 1,000 people from various walks of life from all fifty states. According to the survey, man’s new best friend is the smartphone.

Seven incredible benefits of having a dog

Although the survey shows dog parents are willing to give up their pooch for a month, they could be forgetting the many benefits of having a dog.  In general, pets are well-liked by Americans. Approximately 68% of all households in the United States have a pet. Studies found that having a pet, especially a dog has many health benefits.

1 – You will become more physically active

Dog owners get outside more than people who don’t own a dog. They walk their dogs or play with them in their backyard. Older people are more likely to take a regular walk if they have a dog. Owning a dog helps you get daily moderate exercise, which researchers say will boost your health. In comparison, you would need to go to the gym every day to get the same amount of exercise you get when you own a dog.

2 –  You’ll lessen the impact of stress in your life.

If you have a dog in your life,  you’ll be less stressed. Cortisol, a stress hormone in your body, gets released when you are under stress. Being around a dog can reduce your cortisol levels, researchers prove. You may have visited a dentist or doctor that has a therapy dog. These dogs can sit on a patient’s lap if they feel stressed. Many patients who wouldn’t go to a dentist are willing to go if a dog is present. Dogs are often employed in hospitals to aid patients’ emotional welfare and facilitate healing.

3 –  A dog can lower your blood pressure (a smartphone can’t!)

Having a dog around not only helps you feel less stressed, but your pet eases your high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is dangerous. It makes your heart work hard, pumping blood throughout your body. It causes atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, strokes, kidney disease, and heart failure. Hospitals found that heart patients’ blood pressure went down as much as 10% when therapy dogs were around. Dogs naturally make people feel better.

4 –  A pet might reduce your depression

Your dog has an innate ability to sense when you are sad. If you suffer from depression, having a dog will help you fight your emotional ups and downs. Your dog can give you comfort and help you calm down. Taking care of a dog also improves your mental health and feeling of being needed. Plus, you’ll be outside more often walking or playing with your dog, which is also good for fighting depression.

5 – A canine helper might assist older people

As people age, having a dog helps them stay healthy. Walking the dog, interacting with a dog companion, and caring for a dog, gives older people a sense of well being. Dogs also help older people who have dementia or other ailments to feel happier about their life. Plus, dogs are cute and funny. Everyone needs a good laugh now and then, and dogs love entertaining their family.

6 – You will feel safer

If you live alone, having a dog eases your mind about your safety. Dogs can sense danger or when something is wrong. They will be quick to alert you if someone is at the front door or creeping around your backyard, which will help you sleep easier at night and feel safer.

7 –  You will feel loved

Having a sweet dog to hug does wonders for your heart. Their eager face greets you when you come home from work without judgment or demands. They are happy to see you. In the midst of the craziness of the world, it’s nice to have a dog companion who loves you for who you are.

Benefits of having a smartphone

So, what are the benefits of having a smartphone? Smartphones are well…smart. They make your life easier with a GPS, a camera for picture taking, music, and contact with others. Apps offer an assortment of handy tools for your work and entertainment.

Of course, your smartphone allows you to call or text your friends and family. There are also communication tools you can use for work, such as video calls and emails. A smartphone also gives you access to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, all-important social media sites you can use to stay connected or do your work.

Other benefits of a smartphone include the following:

• Searching the internet from anywhere
• Stream live videos
• Podcasts
• Compass
• Flashlight
• Calculator

One device with many applications, smartphones are portable and easy to use. There are limitless ways a smartphone benefits your life and lifestyle. The best and most helpful apps include those that help you.

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• Do your finances
• Security for your home
• Monitor your kids while they sleep
• Borrow and read books
• Fitness, exercise, and calorie counters
• Radio
• Draw
• News
• Sports
• Kids games
• Pharmacy
• Grocery store
• Health monitoring

Smartphones are great tools for an easier life. In the survey, people said they’d be willing to say goodbye to alcohol, coffee, and sex instead of giving up their smartphone. That’s how much people love them. Fortunately, you don’t need to choose between your beloved pooch and your smartphone. You can have both, but could one be affecting the other?

Does your smartphone negatively affect your dog?

You can have your trusted companion and play your favorite word game on your smartphone, but spending too much time on your smartphone may harm your dog. Some researchers say that using your smartphone a lot around your dog could cause your pet to feel neglected and even depressed.

1 – Dogs are social

Because your dog is social, they need human contact and interaction. Paying more attention to your phone instead of your dog can also make them feel lonely. Your dog isn’t getting their social needs met by interacting with you through talking, petting, or cuddling.

2 – You are your dog’s pack leader

Dogs are social. They are pack animals by nature and accustomed to having a leader. You are your dog’s pack leader. Your dog looks to you for clues as to what’s going on and how to act. If you aren’t focused, your dog may feel confused, getting mixed signals about what you want for them to do.

3 – You are your dog’s lifeline

Every day, you take care of your dog’s needs. You feed, toilet, and water your dog. You make sure they have exercise and a place to sleep. Your dog gets annual checkups, and if they’re sick, you take them to the vet. Because you are your dog’s caretaker, you are the lifeline for your dog. Not giving your dog enough attention could cause your dog to feel isolated. You may miss some of your dog’s signals that they aren’t well. Your dog may begin to be nervous and feel insecure. Nervous, insecure dogs display certain behaviors, including

• Whining or barking-Your dog may do this to pull your attention away from your smartphone. Some dogs actually will growl or nudge their parent’s hands when they are using their smartphone.
• Excessive yawning or licking-Long stressful yawns or licking all the time.
• Pacing or shaking a lot-This is a clear sign your dog is stressed out and needs your touch and attention.
• Tucking tail underneath their body-Your dog may feel insecure due to your lack of attention because they aren’t sure what to do.
• More shedding-This can be a subtle way of letting you know things are going great for your pooch. Pay attention, please.
• Losing bowel or bladder control-Frequent accidents is common when your dog is nervous, scared, or isolated.
• Refuses to eat-Distressed dogs stop eating as a sign they are distraught.
• Hiding-Avoiding situations or hiding is a way dogs communicate; they feel like escaping.

Final thoughts on man’s best friend versus your smartphone

Smartphones provide you with many helpful tools to better your life. Having a dog can improve your health, help your mental outlook, and provide companionship. Choosing between your smartphone or your dog would be difficult. Hopefully, most dog parents would stick with their pooch and give up the use of their smartphone for a month, even if it was inconvenient. But surveys don’t lie, and smartphones have changed lives.

Perhaps it’s as simple as choosing to put down your smartphone more often and interact with your dog with extra cuddles and hugs. You can enjoy the wonderful benefits of having a faithful dog friend and using a smartphone with all the awesome tools.