AHS Media Relations Specialist Kelsey Dickerson told Bored Panda all about how our physical and mental health improve when we get a dog. "There are so many incredible benefits of owning a pet that go beyond the joy they bring to us each and every day, studies prove that having a furry friend greatly improves our mental and physical health as well, especially during these times when quarantine and social distancing has led people to staying at home and decreased in-person interaction," she said.

"A few physical benefits of owning a pet include lowered stress levels, increased heart health (i.e. lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart rate, etc.), helping you and your family stay in shape with increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities with your pets, as well as increased socialization opportunities with other people and pet owners," Kelsey went through some of the benefits.

"Pets also help improve our mental health by offering us unconditional love and companionship, especially for those who live by themselves or are unable to socialize with others on a regular basis. It has also been proven that pets help decrease our anxiety levels, increase our compassion for others, and also help children’s cognitive stimulation and understanding of appropriately interacting with other beings."

Just how much more active are dog owners? In general, they tend to walk and much much more. One study found that older dog owners took an average of 2,760 more steps each day compared to non-owner seniors. That’s more or less an extra 23 minutes of daily exercise.

Time also writes that another study showed how dog owners were much more active during the winter months, spending around half an hour less being sedentary each day. So having a dog is wonderful for your physical health because they help you stay in shape while you’re helping them stay in shape. It’s the perfect quid pro quo situation, don’t you think?

Some of us might wish that we could understand what dogs are saying. However, canine experts already have a pretty good idea of what they’re trying to communicate with their body language.

For example, when a dog maintains eye contact with you, that’s usually its way of saying that it trusts and loves you. When your doggo bows before you, that means that it wants you to take a break from working or studying and play with it for a bit.

Meanwhile, when your pet brings you an object, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it wants to play fetch! Sometimes, these items are meant as gifts. Lucky you!