5. Teaches You To Be More Compassionate
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” Dalai Lama . We need more compassion in our lives, both self-compassion and compassion towards others. Owning a pet who depends on you for survival, good health, and happiness, can definitely cause you to become a more compassionate person. You have to look outside of your own wants and needs, and look into their wants and needs. And, more importantly, you have to take action on their wants and needs!
For example, you may want to watch TV all day, but if you own a dog and see the desperation in their eyes to go for a walk, choosing to understand their need to burn energy off and get out into the world becomes less of an option and more of an act of kindness. You can easily extend your ability for compassion to other people and the world around you, and that benefits everything in your life. For yourself, the benefits of having compassion are less stress, more awareness, more accountability, and an overall happier life. For others, the benefits of having compassion are a better world to live in or a better outlook of their day.
6. Pets Increase Your Ability To Read Nonverbal Communication
A pet cannot speak, so you have to be able to read their cues and body language. You will be amazed at how this ability can transfer into your daily life with other people.It is said that almost 90% of communication is nonverbal. Having a good grasp on it can help you have better relationships both in your personal and work life. This can benefit your happiness and financial future.
For instance, males tend to react the same whether they are a dog or a person. Dominant males will posture around other males and try to make themselves look tougher and intimidating. Understanding this can help you recognize a dominant personality and deal with it in a way that makes them feel validated. And that can earn you big points when it comes to moving up the corporate ladder!
7. Pets Can Sense Danger
We all know that dogs will bark when they sense someone near the house, and that can be very good for home security; however, pets can sense far more than just a stranger. Just a few examples are:
– A parrot in Florida squawked and flapped so loudly that the family woke up before fire detectors went off, and they escaped a fire.
– A dog in New Jersey, with a spinal condition, pulled himself up the stairs and alerted his sleeping family about a fire.
– A pet snake in China alerted his sleeping owner of a fire by grabbing the owner’s clothes with his teeth and whipping the bed with his tail.
You can find tons of heartwarming stories like these. No matter what kind of pet you get, animals seem to have a sense of danger that we don’t always have, and a pet just may save your life!
