While there are many ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, pet ownership offers a plethora of mental and physical health benefits and adds value to your quality of life. A pet can be a constant companion around the house as a snuggle buddy on the couch, a friendly face when you walk into the room and a great partner to stay active with.

With a goal of making communities happier and healthier for pets, the Mars Petcare BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program is all about celebrating the benefits of pets and, in turn, making their environments more accommodating and pet-friendly. With that mission in mind, consider these four expert ways pets can help improve your mood. To thank your four-legged friends for the joy they bring to your life, visit cesar.com for ideas on how to treat them to a special meal.

Offer Stimulation
Spending time with a furry companion can help pass the time at home, and doing different activities together can help strengthen the bond between owner and pet. Try creating obstacle courses, playing hide and seek or playing a game of fetch to connect with your pet and stay entertained.

Mitigate Loneliness
Pets’ unique personalities and comforting presence make them ideal companions. Spending time at home with them offers friendship and can reduce feelings of loneliness. Enjoying a shared moment by having dinner together can be a fun way to thank them for their companionship. With recipes that match some human favorites, such as beef stew and rotisserie chicken, an option like CESAR® dog food allows you and your pups to truly “share” a meal together.

Reduce Stress
A defined routine and sense of responsibility can help lives feel meaningful, organized and less stressed. Pet ownership can help establish a daily schedule, bringing consistency to owners’ lives. Furthermore, research has shown decreased blood pressure as a health benefit of pet ownership, in addition to a reduction in other stressors like anxiety, depression and loneliness.

Improve Health, Increase Happiness
Pets often get their owners up and moving, which can go a long way toward improving their owners’ health and happiness. Whether it’s playing in the backyard in the sunshine, snuggling or grooming your pet, taking care of a pet’s health often encourages owners to take care of their own health in fun and smile-inducing ways. Encouraging a healthful, happy lifestyle is just another way four-legged friends can help create a shared benefit for pets and owners alike.

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