Credits: Social Media
82% of dog owners say walks improve their mental health, study reveals
A study into the unexpected benefits of owning a dog has found there are loads of positives from improving your fitness to better mental health.
The research was conducted by Purina, who surveyed 1,265 dog owners in the UK and highlighted the benefits walking has both mentally and physically.
Dog walks and mental health
A huge 82% of participants felt that going on a dog walk improves their mental health and allows them to escape from their daily life pressures. Only 7% thought it didnt have any impact.
Walking is an excellent way to improve your mental health and enhance your overall wellbeing as it releases endorphins, the feel-good hormone.
It can improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, improve memory and problem-solving and help you sleep better, Bupa UK explains.
Other benefits of walking include increasing your energy, helping you to cope with difficult times and improving your confidence and self-esteem.
Dog walks and fitness
69% of the pet owners surveyed also said that their fitness has improved since owning a dog due to taking them on regular walks.
A further 79% of dog owners agree that pet ownership has encouraged them to become more active outdoors. 59% of participants also said that they go on eight or more dog walks per week, and 31% said they spend 9+ hours outdoors each week.
The most popular place to walk dogs was the park, with 60% of participants saying they walk their dogs there. Second was street walks through cities and towns, which 48% of respondents said they regularly do with their dog.
Dog walks and social life
As well as mental health and fitness, the study showed that dog walks can also improve a person’s social life.
66% of the people surveyed said that owning a dog has encouraged them to be more social with new people. A huge 79% also said they are more likely to talk to a new person when they are out with their dog than without them.
59% of the participants agreed that they are more confident with talking to new people when walking their dog, while just under half of the participants, 44%, said they have made a new friend when out on a dog walk.
Only 2% thought pet ownership made them less sociable.
