How your pet helps you in your everyday life, even without you knowing

Did you know that living in a home with pets such as dogs can give you more self-esteem, can make you physically fit (more so if you walk them daily), you'll tend to be less lonely, more conscientious, make you more extroverted, help you be less fearful, and less preoccupied.

Pet ownership has been rising in the past few decades. In most studies it shows that families in both France and America are the most likely to own a pet.Keeping your pet happy can benefit both you and of course your animal companion in more ways then one.

"The present work presents considerable evidence that pets benefit the lives of their owners, both psychologically and physically, by serving as an important source of social support," the researchers wrote in the paper, published by Journal of Personally and Social Psychology. "Whereas past work has focused primarily on pet owners facing significant health challenges... the present study establishes that there are many positive consequences for everyday people."

So think about how your pet has helped you. Maybe they helped you feel less lonely while you've been away from family. Maybe your dog has helped you train for a race. Or possibly, if your one of the lucky ones, your pet has helped you build your self esteem enough to snag the attention of your special someone.