6 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Having a Dog
Key takeaways:
Sharing your life with a dog may help keep you physically and mentally healthy.
Some health benefits of having a dog include increased exercise, lower stress levels, and better heart health.
Having a close bond with your dog may also help you feel less lonely, provide emotional support, and improve your mood.
Perhaps you’ve heard the advice: “If you want a friend, get a dog.” If you’re already a dog parent, you probably know the truth behind that — and what it feels like to come home to a wagging tail and unconditional love.
Between their loyalty and cuteness, dogs bring joy to many households. And, in some cases, they even help people make friends and get dates. But can having a four-legged companion also help you be healthy?
Besides getting a best friend for life, a dog can have many positive effects on your physical and mental health. Below are six scientifically proven ways that pups may help improve their owners’ health.
1. Dogs help you stay active
Just by taking your dog on daily walks, you’ll be getting exercise. Yes, even strolls in your neighborhood count as physical activity.
Research has found that people who walk a dog are more physically active than those who don’t. One study found that, even in bad weather, older adults who walked their dogs were 20% more physically active than their peers who didn’t.
In another, small study, older adults who walked their dogs increased their exercise by more than 20 minutes per day.
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Having a dog and regularly going on walks can help you get exercise you probably wouldn’t get otherwise.
2. Dogs may help lower stress levels
Have you noticed how petting or cuddling a puppy has a soothing effect? It’s not just a perception; four-legged friends can help ease worries.
When faced with a stressful situation, couples who owned a pet reacted with less physical signs of stress when their pet was present. They also had lower resting heart rates and blood pressure levels to start with. A lower resting heart rate in a healthy adult usually means that the heart is pumping blood more effectively.
In another study, a small group of dog owners was asked to pet their pups for 60 minutes while researchers measured their levels of oxytocin, a hormone that lowers stress and plays a role in bonding. Between 1 to 5 minutes after the interaction, the owners’ oxytocin levels peaked and their heart rates decreased.
Higher oxytocin levels and lower heart rates can be indicators of lower stress levels in healthy adults. Besides, it’s hard to stay stressed when a pair of adorable puppy eyes are gazing up at you.
3. Dogs may help lower blood pressure
Looking for ways to lower your blood pressure? Alongside lifestyle changes and medications, try getting a dog.
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The American Heart Association (AHA) reviewed several studies about the benefits of pet ownership. And multiple studies revealed that pet owners tended to have lower blood pressure when compared to people who didn’t own pets.
The AHA’s review also found that people who had pets — in addition to taking medication to treat high blood pressure — had lower blood pressure levels during stressful situations. The researchers also concluded that having a pet can provide social support and improve health.
That’s not to say that the research is completely conclusive. In another study, pet owners had higher diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure than people who didn’t own pets. So the link between having a dog and blood pressure is still being studied.
4. Dogs may help reduce the risk of heart attack and heart disease
When you’re more active, feel less stressed, and have improved blood pressure, your risk of heart disease decreases.
One study tracked participants for 12 years in order to look at the association between dog ownership and the risk of heart disease. It found that people who lived alone but owned a dog were less likely to develop heart disease than those who didn’t have a dog.
Another study, included in the AHA review, found that people with heart disease who owned a dog were less likely to die within 1 year of having a heart attack than those who didn’t own a dog.
In addition, the review looked at a study that tracked people who had previous heart attacks for 2 years. The research considered factors like depression in this group and found that pet owners had a lower death rate than those who didn’t have pets.
But more research is needed to better understand the link between owning a dog, lower risk of heart disease, and increased chances of survival after a heart attack. And, while owning a dog may improve your heart health, the AHA does not recommend getting a dog only for the purpose of decreasing your risk of heart disease.
5. Dogs may help reduce cholesterol levels
Speaking of heart health, having high cholesterol can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But, as you may have already guessed, a dog may also help lower your cholesterol levels.
There isn’t a lot of research about the link between having a dog and cholesterol levels. In the group of studies the AHA reviewed, one found that male dog owners had lower total cholesterol than people who didn’t own dogs. And another survey found that people who regularly walked their dogs reported lower cholesterol levels than people who didn’t have a dog.
Among the things that the AHA recommends for lowering cholesterol is getting enough exercise. Walking is an excellent way to get physical activity. Take your tail-wagger on walks; they make great company and you may reduce your cholesterol levels by getting exercise.
6. Dogs can improve your mental health
Your mental health may also benefit from having a dog in your life. A four-legged best friend may help boost your mental health by:
Helping fight loneliness: While offering love and affection, your furry pal also keeps you from feeling lonely. People who lived alone but had a dog during the COVID-19 lockdown reported less loneliness than those who lived completely alone. They said having dogs encouraged them to go on walks and socialize with people.
Providing comfort: If you’re not already familiar with the comfort a canine companion can provide, you’re in for a treat. Dogs make great emotional support animals (ESAs). In one study, some dogs who perceived their owners were in distress pushed through an obstacle to reach them.
Improving mood: When you’re feeling low, a dog can help lift you up. For example, in one study, people living with HIV were less likely to experience depression if they owned a dog. And another study found that children who had a pet dog had less anxiety than those who did not.
Making you happier: A canine companion offers more than unconditional love and non-judgmental cuddles. A survey reported that dogs provide emotional support to their owners, especially during struggles with mental health. When you feel better physically and mentally, your quality of life is better and you tend to be happier.
The bottom line
Dog ownership is a commitment but has many benefits. Part of caring for your dog includes making sure they get plenty of exercise, which also increases the amount of exercise you get. And spending time with your dog and being physically active may help you better manage stress, decrease cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of heart disease. A furry pal can also provide great company, comfort, and a boost to your mental health.
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References
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American Heart Association. (2020). Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).
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Gadomski, A. M., et al. (2015). Pet dogs and children’s health: Opportunities for chronic disease prevention?. Preventing Chronic Disease.
Handlin, L., et al. (2011). Short-term interaction between dogs and their owners: Effects on oxytocin, cortisol, insulin and heart rate — An exploratory study. Anthrozoös.
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Merkouri, A., et al. (2022). Dogs and the good life: A cross-sectional study of the association between the dog-owner relationship and owner mental wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychology.
Mubanga, M., et al. (2017). Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death — A nationwide cohort study. Scientific Reports.
Muldoon, A. L., et al. (2017). A web-based study of dog ownership and depression among people living with HIV. JMIR Mental Health.
Oliva, J. L., et al. (2021). Puppy love in the time of Corona: Dog ownership protects against loneliness for those living alone during the COVID-19 lockdown. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry.
Parslow, R. A., et al. (2003). Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease: Another look. The Medical Journal of Australia.
Sanford, E. M., et al. (2018). Timmy’s in the well: Empathy and prosocial helping in dogs. Learning & Behavior.
Wu, Y., et al. (2017). Dog ownership supports the maintenance of physical activity during poor weather in older English adults: Cross-sectional results from the EPIC Norfolk cohort. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
