Australia loves dogs. We have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and one in two households has at least one dog . But are they good for our health? Mental health is the second-most common reason cited for getting a dog, after companionship.
And many of us say we “feel healthier” for having a dog – and let them sleep in our bedroom. Here’s what it means for our physical and mental health to share our homes (and doonas) with our canine companions. Are there physical health benefits to having a dog? Having a dog is linked to lower risk of death over the long term.
In 2019, a systematic review gathered evidence published over 70 years, involving nearly four million individual medical cases. It found people who owned a dog had a 24% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who did not own a dog. Dog ownership was linked to increased physical activity.
This lowered blood pressure and helped reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. The review found for those with previous heart-related medical issues (such as heart attack), living with a dog reduced their subsequent risk of dying by 35%, compared to people with the same history but no dog. Another recent UK study found adult dog owners were almost four times as likely to meet daily physical activity targets as non-owners.
Children in households with a dog were also more active and engaged in more unstructured play, compared to children whose family didn’t have a dog. Exposure to dirt an.
