If you’re a dog owner, you know how good it feels to come home from a stressful day at the office to a smiling face and wagging tail. Our dogs are more than just pets – they’re family members. And as it turns out, the unconditional love we receive from our four-legged friends does more than simply brighten up a gloomy day. Dogs actually have a positive impact on our health.

Sure, there are obvious stories of dogs completing heroic acts to save their owners lives. The seeing eye dog that prevents its human from walking into traffic, the therapy dog that can sense when its owner is going to have a seizure, not to mention all of those times Lassie rescued Timmy from the well. But beyond these miracle stories we read about in the paper and see on the ten o’clock news, dogs can keep us healthy in a number of different ways every single day.

Dogs keep you active. Thinking about skipping your evening workout in favor of a Netflix marathon? Good luck convincing your dog of that idea. A study of over 5,200 adults showed dog owners were 54 percent more likely to reach recommended levels of physical activity than non-dog owners.

Dogs are good for your heart. Dog owners have lower blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and instance of obesity than non-dog owners. Additionally, the American Heart Association has found studies that show owning a pet is associated with increased survival rates among heart attack sufferers.

Dogs improve your mood. A report from Harvard Medical School called Get Healthy, Get a Dog: The Health Benefits of Canine Companionship states, “… dogs can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness in people and help calm jagged nerves.” Furthermore, people who have dogs in their lives have shown increased levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin and decreased instances of depression and anxiety.

Dogs can boost your immune system. Do you let your dog kiss you on the mouth? Those who swap spit with their four-legged friends might be onto something. Scientists believe the microbes lurking in your dog’s gut could have a probiotic effect on your body. These bacteria keep our intestines healthy and help our immune systems thrive.

Dogs undoubtedly tug at our heartstrings, but they also do so much more. Owning a dog has a measurable impact on our mental and physical health, which helps us live longer, happier lives.