New study: Extending your dog’s life is easier than you think!

A Thriving Social Life is Key to a Dog’s Health, Study Finds

A new study from Arizona State University has revealed that a thriving social life is crucial for a dog’s overall health and well-being. While household income does play a role in a dog’s quality of life, the study found that social support has a much greater impact.

“We saw that the effect of social support was about five times stronger than the effect of finances,” said Layla Brassington, one of the study’s authors.

“Meaning our dogs, like us, benefit greatly from social bonds and social connectedness.”

The study, conducted as part of the Dog Aging Project, aimed to understand how genes, environment, and lifestyle affect aging and disease in dogs. Over 21,000 dog owners participated in the survey, which covered various aspects such as diet, environment, medication, and more.

Key Factors in the Study

The study considered five main factors: neighborhood stability, total household income, social time with children, social time with animals, and owner age.

Interestingly, the study found that dogs who lived in homes with children had worse health outcomes compared to those living with adults only. The researchers speculated that this could be because owners tend to spend more time with their children than with their pets.

“We found that time with children actually had a detrimental effect on dog health,” explained Brassington.

Graduate student Bri McCoy, another member of the research team, suggested that it might be a resource allocation issue rather than children being inherently bad for dogs.

The study also highlighted the importance of playtime, especially with other dogs. Dogs that had opportunities to engage in active play with fellow canines experienced better health outcomes.

“This does show that, like many social animals, including humans, having more social companions can be really important for the dog’s health,” McCoy emphasized.

Veterinarian director Jamie Whittenburg, from Senior Tail Waggers, expressed her agreement with the study’s findings. She noted that positive social interactions have always been linked to better health in animals, and it’s encouraging to see scientific evidence supporting this.

“As both a veterinarian and lifelong pet owner, I was anecdotally aware that animals that had more positive social interactions received a health benefit, and it is great to see science backing this up,” Whittenburg said.

However, Whittenburg also emphasized that not every dog necessarily needs a playmate in the house. Owners should evaluate their individual dog’s needs and provide the desired level of social interaction accordingly.

Overall, this study reinforces the intuitive understanding that social connectedness plays a vital role in a dog’s overall health and longevity.

Source: The Western Journal

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