Allowing your pet dog to ‘pack run’ may be the key to keeping it healthy throughout its life, a new large-scale study has found. The benefits were revealed to be five times more pronounced than when examined from other aspects of a dog’s life.
This study is the largest of its kind to date. A team from multiple institutions in the United States used data from 21,410 dogs of various breeds and mixes to build a complete picture of what’s good and what’s not good for these dogs.
After controlling for factors such as age and weight, researchers found that social interaction with canine companions as well as humans was associated with the greatest promotion of animal health.
“As with many social animals, including humans, having more social companions can be very important for a dog’s health,” said Arizona State University biologist Bry McCoy. “We’re showing that,” said Bry McCoy, a biologist at Arizona State University.
By comparison, what the researchers described as “economic and family adversity” (including income level) was associated with poorer health and reduced exercise performance in dogs, but its importance was significantly lower than socialization. It wasn’t as big as sex.
The researchers also found that having more children in the home had a negative impact on the health of pet dogs. This is probably because the more time they spend caring for their young, the less time they spend with their animal companions.
Additionally, dogs from households with higher incomes were more likely to be diagnosed with more diseases. While this may seem surprising, researchers say it’s probably because the more money you have, the better access you have to medical care and the ability to diagnose your symptoms.
Please keep in mind that this analysis is based on reports from dog owners, so some inaccuracies and bias are to be expected. This data is only rigorous enough to show a relationship between two factors, and one factor (such as social friendships) directly influences another (such as health). That doesn’t mean there are.
However, there is enough here to demonstrate the importance of a stable home and social lifestyle to a pet dog’s well-being.
Because of the amount of care and attention we give our pet dogs, and their relatively short lifespans, research studies how society and the environment affect health and survival as animals age. For humans, dogs are of particular interest.
The research on which the study was based covered all factors, including diet and activity, but socialization was the clear winner when it came to improving health. Next, the research team would like to investigate what mechanisms underpin this connection at a biological level.
“Future research should consider electronic pet medical records, molecular and immunological measurements, and home physical exams to improve the quality of companion dogs,” said Noah Snyder Mackler, a psychologist at Arizona State University. “We plan to more accurately measure the health status and frailty of patients.” .
This research evolution, medicine, public health.
