Why Do Dogs Help Us Live Longer?
Anyone with a dog knows that they light up your life, making your day a little lighter, brighter, and happier. Of course, any long-time dog owner will be quick to say that their dogs absolutely make their lives better (even though some might grumble about chewed-up couches or little accidents), but the gift of dogs isn’t only in making our lives better; they actually make them longer too.
All Pets Make a Difference
From the snuggles and cuddles to the funny antics to a warm fuzzy body to hold onto on the bad days, pets are there to help us feel better in every way. No matter what kind of pet does it for you- dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, fish, to the truly exotic and different- having a pet in your life is having a best friend there with you through everything.
Personal Proof that Dogs Help Us Live Longer
I met Toothless (named after the dragon from How to Train Your Dragon) in October 2020. Like a lot of people, the pandemic was taking its toll, and I wanted a friend to have close by. Someone to share my life with, cuddle while I read, and force me to get out of the house at least once a day. I had never owned a dog before, and family and friends told me (over Zoom calls) that I was crazy and taking on a huge responsibility that I would hate.
All of those protests faded and disappeared when I did a meet-and-greet with a local foster family. The rescue in my town puts puppies with foster families, so they get great socialization and are trained early. At my meet-and-greet, the foster parent picked up this little ball of caramel fluff and fur that was shaking from terror and said, "This is Scarecrow."
The little guy hit my lap, scrambled right up over my belly, and curled up on my chest. He turned scared little hazel eyes to me and immediately pressed his nose to mine through my mask. Our eyes met, and I knew. This was my puppy. We both melted, him into my chest and me into the couch. I was signing the papers for him within the hour.
I had a fever, chills, sore throat, and cough within three days of bringing him home. I was so sick I could barely make it to the bathroom, and feeding myself was a chore that took hours. I had to rely on dropping off meals and groceries from family and friends to help me survive. I was grateful for the help because having a puppy around when you have COVID is exhausting. Friends walked him and brought extra toys and chews so that I could distract him when I didn’t have energy.
But the best gift was from the recently renamed Toothless himself. He rested his head on my knee when I was crying from the aches and pains of fever. When I shivered and shook, and there weren't enough blankets to keep me warm, he draped his little (and rapidly growing) body over me to keep me warm and safe. When I was restless and sweating, he moved far enough away from me that I still knew he was there, but he wasn’t bothering me. He let me pet him as much as I wanted, offering a supportive and kind presence to help me feel better and never flinching when I coughed so hard I burst blood vessels in my eyes and cheeks. When I was awake, we would hug and cuddle, watch movies and TV together, and play whenever I could. While I slept, he curled up in front of my belly, reminding me I wasn’t alone.
He was a little angel, helping me feel safe and at peace while giving me something to fight for when I was depleted emotionally and physically. At a time when I couldn’t see my friends, my family cried on Zoom because they couldn’t visit and help; I wasn't lonely at all. I always had my little buddy. We created a bond so close in the two months that I was sick from COVID that he would refuse to go out for walks without me by the end of my illness. This was a blessing in disguise because it got me up and out of the house again.
I was one of the lucky ones. I lost a cousin and an aunt to the same illness that put me out for two months, gave me pneumonia, and seems to have given me asthma for the rest of my life, but I survived. I was also lucky because, in my darkest moments, I had a little black snout and the deepest hazel eyes I've ever seen in my life holding onto me and reassuring me that I could and would do this and be okay. So I credit him (almost as much as the doctors) for helping me survive.
Now, we go for walks twice a day (which my doc and dog are equally happy about), and he piles all 50 pounds of himself onto the kitchen table while I work from home or sits in front of the door silently waiting for me to get my butt home when I have to go somewhere he can’t come, and I know I was right when he booped my nose through the mask. He’s mine, forever.
Backed by Science
This story and thousands upon millions of others show us the power dogs have to make a difference in our day-to-day lives and our longevity. People have known this for hundreds of years, studying and experimenting to see how deeply this connection goes.
80 Year Study
One study started in 1921 and ran with 1500 people over 80 years, following participants from childhood. People in their 60's were later asked how often they played with their pets, and mortality rates were compared to that. Although the researchers initially didn't see anything they deemed interesting, scientists recently looked at and found some fascinating theories.
These researchers found that the mortality rate for those with dogs was lower than for those without dogs. Dog owners were living longer. The people who benefited the most from this were those who had a history of heart attacks- people who had had a heart attack before and now had a dog had a 65% reduced risk of passing away compared to those with the same medical history but no dog.
Physical Reactions
Scientists have done a lot of research to show that dogs help us live longer, but we also know about a lot of the physical things dogs do for us that are good for our bodies. For example, just spending time with them can lead to a relaxed state, which helps lower tension and blood pressure. It also releases endorphins, which relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve your sense of well-being.
How Dogs Increase Our Happiness and Lifespan
Dog Owners Have Fewer Heart Attacks
Studies have shown that people who own dogs have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk of passing away from cardiovascular disease like a heart attack or associated conditions is dropped by 24% in dog owners. Dog owners are almost a quarter less likely to pass away from a heart attack. Since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, this is pretty significant. As we mentioned, if someone has already had a heart attack, their chances of having a second go down if they own a dog.
Why? There are a lot of theories. The main theory about why is that dog owners are more physically active from playing with their pets. As doctors have told us since immemorial, physical activity keeps illness away.
Doctors also say that the increase of endorphins and the lower blood pressure puts less strain on the heart, meaning less wear and tear so it can last longer.
Dog Owners Heal Faster from Heart Attacks
Although dog owners have fewer heart attacks, they can still have them. However, when they do, studies suggest that they're more likely to survive. The study was done with 2400 cat owners in this case, but the statistics should easily carry over. The study showed there was a much lower risk of death from a heart attack or stroke for pet owners than for non-pet-owners.
After the heart attack comes the recovery process, and here too, dog owners have a leg up (and not for the same reasons their dogs put their leg up). People who own dogs and live alone with them had 33% less chance of being hospitalized again after a heart attack and 27% lower chance after a stroke.
Dog owners were also found to be much more likely to complete a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program than non-pet owners. A dog owner’s chance of completing a post-heart attack recuperation was 96.5%, whereas the petless had a 79.2% chance of finishing. All in all, it's been found that being a dog owner gives you a much better chance in a cardiac event than not being a dog owner.
Again, this is thought to do with the physical activity that comes with dog ownership and the lowered heart rate and raised endorphins. However, the emotional component is super important too. Dog owners have a fluffy little furball depending on them and are constantly being socialized with another living being. Loneliness is extremely dangerous (some say as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes every day), and studies have consistently shown that properly socialized people have a better chance of surviving all kinds of illnesses.
Dog Owners are More Physically Active
Owning a dog is a big commitment like we tell our kids, and part of that is taking them out for walks. Walking has long been shown to be great. It helps maintain a healthy weight, prevent or manage various conditions (from heart disease to diabetes), and can put you in a better mood. Your balance and coordination are even improved just by taking your dog out for a morning potty break. This increased physical activity (34% more like to do 150 minutes of walking a week) makes a big difference in your lifespan.
Dog Owners are Less Stressed Out
Although the jury’s still out about the exact relationship between stress and illness, we know it’s not great. Being stressed out can cause a whole bunch of illnesses and make the three biggest causes of death (coronary heart disease, cancer, and suicide) worse. A review of 69 studies supports the idea that owning and interacting with a pet massively reduces stress levels.
Even if we weren't talking about trying to live longer, just the fact that a pet can help alleviate some stress is enough to get them for many people. Our world is becoming more stressful by the day, and having a pet nearby to help take some of that tension can help you live longer and happier.
Dog Owners are More Socially Connected
Social connection is crucial to extending our lives. But, unfortunately, loneliness is a major problem in our society- a third of people older than 65 and half of those over 85 live alone, not to mention all the younger people who feel lonely- and it’s increasingly being seen as the health problem it is.
Dog owners are more social because they always have a little friend right there with them to spend time with, and they are more likely to get to know their neighbors than non-pet owners. This could be largely because they go for walks and interact with the world around them more often than non-pet owners.
A Friend For (A Longer) Life
Dog owners worldwide will happily tell you a thousand stories (and show you a million pictures) about their best friend, life companion, and favorite fluffball. Studies and stories prove to us how important dogs are for a happy and long life.
Wishing you a longer life with your companion!
Angela Douglas
Founder & CEO
Urban Dog Stars
www.urbandogstars.com
Written by: Urban Dog Stars & Alan Wright