It's no wonder there seems to be more dog owners than cat owners. The latest study just proved why a dog is man's best friend. Canines simply make their owners happier.
A team of researchers from the Manhattanville College in New York conducted a study on pet ownership, their emotional state, and the well-being of pet owners. They gathered data by disseminating online questionnaires to a significant number of pet owners.
Based on the data collated by the researchers, those who owned dogs are less neurotic and more conscientious compared to feline owners. They are also more extroverted, which makes a lot of cat owners introverts.
Daily Mail also reported another aspect of the study which showed that dog owners are happier and more agreeable. But it was also found that life satisfaction level is higher in individuals who own any type of pet, whether a dog, cat, rabbit or even a guinea pig.
According to the research, while there was really no difference between the levels of happiness of pet owners vis-à-vis non-pet owners, it indicated that pet owners were clearly more satisfied with life compared to their non-pet owner counterparts.
Katherine Jacobs Bao, the head of the research, said that "Personality likely influences our choices to adopt a pet and which pet we choose, but our personality is not fixed, so it could also be influenced by our relationships with others, including our pets."
Puppy Leaks stated that this research is not the first one showing the different personalities between dog owners and cat owners. It mentioned that there was also a study released by the University of California which revealed that cat owners are more anxious compared to dog owners.
While there may be differences between the character traits of pet owners, the bottom line of these studies show how animals affect the well-being of humans. So regardless of the type of pet one has, what's important is that a furry friend is around, bringing individuals that happy feeling every time.
