A Dog for Life

Owning a dog makes older people fitter and healthier, and this may beneficially impact a person’s biological age (how well their organs, tissues, and body systems perform).  Zhiqiang Feng, from the University of St Andrews (United Kingdom), and colleagues monitored the activity of 547 elderly people, average age 79 years, residing in Tayside (Scotland), 9% of whom were dog owners (of which 75% walked their dogs). Physical activity was monitored over a seven-day period.  The team found that the dog owners were not only more physically active, but their levels of activity were the equivalent of people ten years younger. The length of the walk did not make any difference to the positive effects of dog walking. Of those who took part, the dog owners on average showed significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression. The study authors write that: “dog ownership is associated with physical activity in later life.”