Walking the Dog

By Mustahsin Labib

Never mind the chewed slippers, the hair on the sofa, and the inexplicable barking at 3 am. Having a dog in the home substantially reduces the risk of heart attacks and other fatal conditions, a recent study has shown.

Researchers of the University of Liverpool found that dog ownership had a dramatic effect on people who live alone, cutting the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 36%.

Other explanations have been put forward, too. Having a dog around the house might influence what varieties of microbes take up residence on and in human bodies, and these may influence our health for the better, researchers suggest.

Nadia Sikder, an animal and human rights as well as environment activist has taken the initiative of gathering all animal lovers and pet owners who live close to Hatirjheel to form a small group named “Hatirjheel Dog Walkers Club” and interact in order to form friendship and regular routine to walk their dogs.

“The scheme is very simple, yet the attachment that the owner and pet will grow, through this petite step will be a superior one,” said Nadia as she walked along with her dog “Simba” down the pathway in Hatirjheel.

She has been walking her dog quite regularly for the past seven years and believes that it helps both of her pets to release the pent-up energy they frequently accumulate. “Living in an apartment and finding places to walk pets might be very difficult at times. But through forming a small community of dog walkers the situation might seem easier than said.” she opines.

It appears to be a case of “do what makes you happy” for people who regularly walk their dogs.

According to the research conducted by the University of Liverpool, owners are motivated to go dog walking because it makes them feel happy, not because of other health and social benefits. The researchers found that while owners may say the reason they go walking is to benefit the dog, the importance of their own improved happiness and wellbeing is clear.

These feelings of happiness, however, are contingent on the owner believing that their dog is enjoying the walk too. This is the very reason for which Nadia had been tipping since her childhood when she asked Santa Claus to present her a puppy!

Increased physical activity and social interactions with other dog owners were found to be secondary bonuses as well as greatly motivating. Study led Dr. Carri Westgarth, a research fellow at the University of Liverpool, to infer that, “The factors that motivate dog walking are extremely complex, yet we know they can strongly motivate human health behavior.”

With more than eight million dogs in households across Europe, dog walking is a popular everyday activity. Dog owners are generally more physically active than non-owners, yet some rarely walk with their dog at all. An owner briskly walking the dog for at least 30 minutes each day easily exceeds the 150 minutes recommended minimum physical activity per week. If all dog owners did this it would dramatically boost levels of physical activity of a multitude.

And researchers of the University of Liverpool have also shown that dog owners are more active than those who do not own dogs, packing in more steps per day on their walks or just regular playtime. The study showed that dog owners take 2,760 more steps per day on average compared to non-owners, which amounted to an additional 23 daily minutes of moderate exercise.

The researchers found that the people who did not own a dog were sedentary for about 30 more minutes a day on average than those who walked their dogs. “We were amazed to find that dog walkers were on average more physically active and spent less time sitting on the coldest, wettest, and darkest days than non-dog owners were on long, sunny, and warm summer days,” project lead Andy Jones, a University of Liverpool-professor, suggested boldly.

Jones said this finding could have important implications about how to motivate people to stay active as they age.

“Physical activity interventions typically try and support people to be active by focusing on the benefits to themselves, but dog walking is also driven by the needs of the animal,” Jones said in the release. “Being driven by something other than our own needs might be a really potent motivator and we need to find ways of tapping into it when designing exercise interventions in the future.”

Nadia pointed out, “Just like humans, dogs do not like being confined in the same environment for too long. They thrive on small adventures and friendly games with their owners. It is important that the friendship between you and your little pawed friend become more outgoing and exciting.”

After all, dogs as well as pets are more than just cuddly companions!