Dogs really are our best friends

According to research, dog ownership can lead to improved physical health and psychological well-being. Keeping a dog can prevent us from becoming ill, help us recover from ill health, and even alert us that we are suffering from certain types of illness.

A review of research on domestic dogs and human health, was published on Monday 22 January 2007, in the British Journal of Health Psychology by Dr Deborah Wells, a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology, Queen’s University, Belfast.

Dr Wells examined the evidence for the health benefits of owning domestic dogs. She found that pet owners tend to be healthier in general, but dogs appear to have a more positive influence on health than cats.

The benefits of dog ownership were found to be widespread. Evidence was provided that dog owners had lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fewer minor physical ailments and were less likely to have more serious medical problems. Dogs may also facilitate our recovery from illness - even from serious physical problems such as heart attack. There is also evidence that dogs might act as "early-warning systems" for certain types of ailments such as cancer and epileptic seizures.

The reasons for the positive effects of dogs on human health are not yet clear - there are likely to be several explanations. Dr Wells said: " It is possible that dogs can directly promote our well-being by buffering us from stress, one of the major risk factors associated with ill-health. The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."

Ref: PR1174