Not only to make the owner happier and get rid of loneliness – dogs can add a bit of health to him.
A recent study helped to determine how dogs affect the well-being and health of their elderly owners, tells MDPI. It lasted eight years, during which the scientists talked by phone with study participants aged 65+.
They had to answer simple questions, for example, about walking their pets – how many times a day, how long the walk was over the past two weeks, and others. Participants also spoke about their well-being. Amy Albright, author of the study, notes:
“The study is unique in that it explores for the first time the potential benefits of pet ownership in a long-term sample of older adults balanced by sex, race and geographic location, which allows us to explore whether the potential benefits of late pet ownership differ across these characteristics.”
The main finding of the study was that all pet owners reported feeling well and walking significantly more frequently than non-dog owners.
Previously, our publication told how to find a “common language” with a pet. To understand intentions and dog mood, it is enough to be able to decipher the sounds it makes and the body movements it makes. In this, dogs are similar to people – after all, we also express our emotions not only with sounds, but also with movements. Moreover, sometimes the gestures of people at the same time are similar to those of a dog (or vice versa?), but they can mean completely different things.
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