The Top 7 Reasons to Own a Pet

Outside of rare and adorable instances, humans are the only creature on this planet to own pets. We can pretty much make a pet out of any species, too. Some of us love cats, others love dogs; humans love owning and caring for pets so much that it makes us wonder, why do we have pets?

At Balance CBD, we’re pet owners. Cats, dogs, and an office fish named Terry — we gain from having them in our lives. So much so, in fact, that we formulated a unique line of CBD oil for our furry buddies. It’s organic and free of pesticides and GMOs. What’s more, you can choose between a flavorless oil, salmon flavor, or our new cod liver oil infused with CBD.

We love our pets and we think you should have one, too. If you’re on the fence, struggling to decide if you should buy a pet, we’ve gathered our favorite reasons to own a pet. Plus, those of you uncertain what kind of pet you should own, we’ve also updated our article to include our advice on choosing a pet that’s right for you.

What’s the Right Pet for You?

Although you may want a Mastiff, your lifestyle and living arrangements may not be ideal for either of you. So take a moment to ask yourself, What’s the right pet for me?

Those of you in apartments, for example, should stay away from labrador retrievers, especially if you can’t spend an hour a day playing fetch. Conversely, there are animals more suited to small spaces than you may believe. Greyhounds, one of the tallest dogs on the planet, make ideal apartment dogs.

If you’re considering a dog, ask yourself these questions:

1. How much will it cost?
2. How long does it live?
3. What are its physical needs?
4. Does it require more room than I have?
5. Do I have enough time to care for it?
6. Can I own this sort of pet in my condo or apartment?
7. Once full-grown, how big is it?

When you’ve researched and found the honest answers to these questions, look at them individually and all together and ask yourself if this pet is the right one for you.

The Top 7 Reasons to Own a Pet

This list may seem extraordinary, but they’re all true. Pets improve and shape our lives in tremendous ways. We’ve compiled our information from research studies and stories from our staff.

Owning a pet is a deeply personal experience. Like any other relationship we cherish, you’ll grow and change with your pet. If you’ve been suffering from depression, health disorders, or simply feel a lack of daily energy, then take the time to read through our list and consider adopting a dog, cat, bunny, or hamster.

Promote an Active Lifestyle

Dog owners running with their dogs or playing fetch attest to spending more time outdoors than your average person. One study found that people that owned at least one dog were upwards of 54% more active than those without a dog.

Sunshine and fresh air are great, but it’s those days when you have to walk your dog in the rain or snow that teaches us the lessons of being active when we don’t want to be.

But it’s not just dogs that can help you move around. Playing with your cat pulls your mind away from your work or sedentary Netflix binges and moving around the house.

Pets Reduce Stress

While we’ve all heard of PTSD victims feeling better after a session with a therapy dog, you don’t need a dog to reduce your cortisol levels. Simply being in the presence of a pet, whether it’s a gecko or a cat, reduces stress levels.

Workplaces with animals report an office-wide lowering of anxiety and work-related ailments. The act of staring into a fishbowl or watching an iguana basking in the red light of her heat lamp calms us down and removes us from problems long enough to solve them more efficiently.

Even better, a pet combined with a CBD supplement should help you adapt to any work problem that plagues your Tuesday.

Pet Owners Feel Better About Themselves

Having a pet in your home not only provides you with endless companionship, but it means you have an instant best friend. Those living alone or that have trouble making friends find that owning a pet helps them feel better about themselves.

It’s not just you that recognizes a boost in self-esteem. Co-workers tend to work better alongside people who make decisions and share their opinions. Employers promote those that feel confident in their actions.

Pets Teach Us About Nature

In our homes and modern cities, we’ve lost touch with the natural world. Instead of hunting for food or rooting around our environment, we order take out and search for entertainment on phone apps. Owning a pet brings mother nature to your doorstep.

Every pet shares something about the world with us. Cats and dogs share obvious examples of smells and hunting and chasing other creatures. Watching a reptile eat crickets or a fish swim around its aquarium helps us to connect to the smaller and physical reality that we often leave behind.

Pet Owners Have Healthier Hearts

Combining some of the previously mentioned benefits, such as reduced stress levels and increased active lifestyle habits, tells us a lot about the heart health of pet owners. The American Heart Association praised dogs for lowering the cardiovascular risks in their owners a significant degree more than non-dog owners.

That means owning a pet can cut the chances of you having a heart attack or higher blood pressure. Other studies have shown that those with animals living in their home recover faster from injuries than those who do not have pets.

Pets Lower Chances of Allergies and OCD

Children who grow alongside animals, on average, have fewer allergies than kids raised in a pet-less home. So if you or someone you know itches and coughs near cats or dogs, it’s likely they didn’t have pets as children.

The Clinical and Experimental Allergy journal mentions that you must have lived with the pet as a babe for the allergy eliminating effects to take place.

Aside from allergies, children that grow up with pets have an easier time adjusting to dirt and mess than those that live in homes without pets. Kids with OCD and other anxiety conditions can learn to handle the chaos that often drags behind a dirty dog or in the mouth of a hunting cat.

Pet Owners Socialize More

From dog parks to cat Reddit forums, pet owners love to talk about their pets. Turns out, the only people that want to listen to them, unless you write like EB White, are other pet owners.

Pets can be used as an ice breaker or talking point for those who have problems socializing. Dog owners who walk around their neighborhoods are more likely to know their neighbors or run into other dog lovers in their area.

If you have problems meeting friends or romantic partners, an enthusiastic dog or strange pet with an ingroup of dedicated fans, like say turtles, can coax you out of your shell.

Treat You and Your Pet Right With Balance CBD

Taking care of your pet is one of the enjoyments and challenges of owning him or her. For those with cats and dogs, you can bolster their health and reduce anxiety or restlessness with Balance CBD.

We offer a range of healthy cannabidiol products that you can add to their nightly meal or weekend treats. They contain no artificial flavors, just natural salmon or cod liver oil and CBD. We extract our CBD products from American-grown industrial hemp. For our pet line, we’ve stuck to a CBD isolate, meaning it contains no THC or other cannabinoids.

Like the rest of our CBD products for human consumption, our pet CBD oil and CBD oil for dogs ships across the United States. That’s because CBD oil extracted from industrial hemp is legal from Washington to North Carolina and every state in between.

Don’t forget to take advantage of our free shipping, which Balance CBD offers to all orders over $79. So why not purchase a CBD oil for your favorite fur buddy and a few CBD edibles and beverages for you to enjoy at the same time?