Your best friend's got bad breath, shows off in front of strangers and constantly needs to pee. He could also save your life.

According to recent studies, your best friend could not just keep you in good health, but also stop mum and dad moving in as well as saving your marriage. The following 10 points are results from these recent studies.

1: COUNTER DEPRESSION
The companionship and entertainment provided by a dog lessen feelings of sadness and pessimism. Fifty Two per cent of male pet owners confess to having sung to or danced with their dogs.

2: TEMPER REACTION TO STRESS
In a recent study involving stockbrokers, researchers found that those who owned dogs handled stressful situations better. As a test, the brokers had to calm an actor pretending to be a furious client who had lost £86,000. Those with pets experienced only half the rise in blood pressure than their petless counterparts.

3: HELPING TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL
High blood levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides - harmful blood fats - mean you have an elevated chance of developing heart disease. Dog owners have lower levels of both.

4: BOOST IMMUNITY
One study found that new dog owners had significantly fewer minor health problems than non-owners in the ten months after getting pups.

5: DISCOUAGE DIVORCE
Couples who own dogs have closer relationships, are more satisfied in their marriages and respond better to stress.

6: MAKE NEW FRIENDS
Dogs help withdrawn people find the courage to speak up. In fact, a recent study found that dogs still managed to make friends for owners who were diliberately made to look unattractive

7: DROP BLOOD PRESSURE
Dog owners generally display lower systolic blood pressure than non-owners. In fact, petting a dog actually lowers blood pressure almost imediately.

8: SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK
Researches tracked 92 men in the year following their first heart attacks. The second-biggest predictor of survival was pet ownertship. It outranked all other physical, social and economic variables.

9: MINISTER TO WOUNDS
If you scrape your knee, a dog may instinctively lick the wound clean. According to Dr Rising, dog saliva typically contains less bacteria than human spit, so he is actually trying to do you a favour.

10: STOPPING THE PARENTS FROM MOVING IN
Buy your mum and dad a dog and you'll lessen the chance that their physical and mental health will deteriorate to the point where they need care. In a study of 1,000 pensioners living independently, researchers found that those with pets were more physically active, more involved in daily life and in possession of greater sense of purpose and responsibility.

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