Health Benefits of Walking Your Dog: What the Studies Actually Say

You walk your dog because your dog needs it. But the health benefits of walking your dog land on both ends of the leash. Researchers have measured steps, heart outcomes, mood and even how many neighbors dog owners know. Here is what they found, and what they did not.

How much more do dog owners actually walk?

Quite a lot, it turns out. In 2017, UK researchers gave activity monitors to 43 dog owners aged 65 and over and to 43 similar people without a dog. They measured them for three separate weeks over a year, in all seasons.

The dog owners walked on average 22 minutes more per day and took about 2,760 extra steps. Not a slow shuffle either: most of that extra walking happened at a moderate pace, the kind that counts for your heart.

A larger survey from the University of Liverpool (2019) looked at almost 700 adults in north-west England. Dog owners walked more often and for longer. They were estimated to be about four times more likely to meet the recommended 150 minutes of activity per week. And 64% of the dog owners walked their dog for at least 150 minutes a week on their own.

One detail matters: the dog walks came on top of other exercise, not instead of it. Rex does not replace the gym. He just adds a daily dose you never skip, because he is standing at the door.

How much exercise do you need, and does a dog walk count?

The Dutch Health Council (Gezondheidsraad) advises adults to do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, spread over several days. Walking and cycling are named as examples. On top of that: muscle and bone strengthening activities twice a week, and not sitting still too much. Flemish and international guidelines say much the same.

Does a dog walk count? It depends on the pace. Moderate means you breathe faster but can still talk. The US CDC uses a simple "talk test": you can talk, but not sing. A brisk walk qualifies. A ten-minute sniffing session around the same lamp post does not, but that one is for Luna, and it counts for her.

The trick is to give each walk a job. Let your dog sniff for the first part. Then pick up the pace on a straight stretch, like a dyke, a towpath or a park lane. You both get what you need.

Is owning a dog good for your heart?

This is where the headlines come from. In 2019, a team in Toronto combined ten studies with nearly 3.8 million people, followed for about ten years on average. Dog owners had a 24% lower risk of dying from any cause during follow-up. The risk of dying from heart and blood vessel disease was 31% lower. Among people who had already had a heart attack, the difference was even bigger.

A Swedish study from 2017 followed 3.4 million adults through national registers. People living alone with a dog had a 33% lower risk of death and an 11% lower risk of heart attack than people living alone without one. Owners of hunting breeds, such as retrievers, terriers and scent hounds, seemed the most protected. Maybe because those dogs need the most walking.

Still, the most likely explanation is boring and good news: dog owners move more, every day, in all weather. And regular movement is one of the best-proven things you can do for your heart.

Why a dog walk is good for your mood

Most dog walks happen outside, in parks, woods, dunes or along the water. That matters. A 2019 study of almost 20,000 people in England found that people who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature were more likely to report good health and high wellbeing than people who spent no time in nature. It did not matter if those two hours came in one long walk or several short ones. Benefits levelled off at around 200 to 300 minutes a week.

Two hours a week is about 17 minutes a day. If your daily loop goes through a park or along a canal, your dog probably already gets you there.

There is also the rhythm. A dog does not care that it is Monday, or raining, or that you had a bad day. That fixed daily walk gives structure, daylight and a moment without a screen. Many owners will tell you it is the best part of the day, even when they grumble at the door.

Do dog walks help you meet people?

Yes, and science has measured this too. In a 2015 study of almost 2,700 people in Perth (Australia) and three US cities, pet owners were more likely to get to know people in their neighborhood than non-owners. About 40% of pet owners received some form of support, like practical help or advice, from people they met through their pet. Dog owners in the US cities were also more likely to call those people friends.

That will not surprise anyone who walks a dog. You learn the names of all the dogs in the street long before you learn the names of their humans. But the chats add up. For people who live alone, work from home or are new in town (hello, expats), the daily walk can be a gentle way into a neighborhood.

Curious what the other dogs are telling yours during those meetings? Read our guide to dog body language on walks.

How to make the daily walk easy (so you keep doing it)

All these benefits have one condition: you have to actually go, most days, for years. The best walk is the one that does not feel like a fight.

• Make gearing up quick. If getting the harness on is a wrestling match, you will skip walks. Choose gear your dog accepts easily.
• Protect your shoulder and back. A dog that pulls makes every walk tiring and can strain your arm. A front-clip harness and a leash that absorbs shocks make a big difference.
• Plan two kinds of walks. A brisk one for you, a sniffy one for your dog. Or one walk with both parts.
• Match your dog's needs. A Border Collie and a French Bulldog do not need the same distance. See how much exercise your dog needs by breed.
• Dress for the weather, not the forecast. Real walks happen in real weather. A good jacket keeps the habit alive from October to March.

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SCOBYDOG No-Pull Harness

Slips over the head in 3 seconds. The front D-ring guides your dog back to your side, with pressure on the chest, not the throat.

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That is exactly why we designed the SCOBYDOG harness the way we did. It slips over the head in about three seconds with one click, no paw lifting. The front D-ring gently turns your dog back toward you when he pulls, and the pressure goes on the chest, not the throat. Pair it with our Bungee Leash and the sudden jerks stop reaching your shoulder. Calmer walks are walks you actually look forward to.

What the studies do not say

Honesty first: most of this research is observational. It compares people with and without dogs and finds differences. It cannot prove the dog caused them. Some studies were partly funded by the pet industry, and some samples were small. Still, the results point in the same direction across countries and methods: dog owners walk more, and walking is good for people.

Also, a dog is a 10 to 15 year commitment, not a fitness plan. If you are thinking about getting one, think about time, cost and your daily routine first. The health benefits are a bonus, not the reason.

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