Humans have had dogs as companions for thousands of years. Over that time, dogs have evolved to become ever-better companions, as we humans selectively bred them for traits that we like, such as friendliness and loyalty.
Dog owners already know that owning a dog reduces stress. But it turns out that the health benefits of owning a dog go quite a bit further: two new studies published this month in the journal Circulation both found that owning a dog reduces your risk of dying.