Dogs are known as many things: cuddle buddy, walking partner, a living vacuum / potential dishwasher, and man's best friend. One thing that might not come to mind is a health benefit.

This article from Bark Post claims that having a dog and letting it lick you is HEALTHY! How can that be when you catch your four-legged friend drinking from the toilet bowl every other day?

The Independent reports on a study done at the University of Arizona (UA). Researchers tested out a theory that "the tiny microbes in a dog’s gut might have a probiotic effect on humans." Humans have good and bad bacteria living in our bodies. We need the good kind to help keep our immune and digestive health up to speed. However, we lose the good stuff as we get older, and that affects us mentally and physically.

You could eat a probiotic yogurt to replenish the good bacteria, or you could grab your pup for a lick or two. "UA’s new Human-Animal Interaction Research Initiative theorize that owning a dog and letting them plant a big smacker on you once in a while, will help replace the 'pawsitive' microorganisms in your body."

Just another reason that I'm a dog person. Emotional and physical bond with my babies.

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