Walking a Dog for Human’s Well-being

According to an English survey in which about 2 thousand dog owners were questioned, most dog owners see walking the dog as a while they have for themselves and relax. What other benefits do walks with dogs have?

In England, dog owners were asked about how they see walking and if time spent outside with a dog has any other benefits for them. The results have shown that 8 out of 10 people sometimes take their dog out just because they want to enjoy some peace and relax. 73 % of the surveyed even considers outdoor activities with their dog as an important tool for reducing stress. 

The overwhelming most of the questioned agree that walking provides them with valuable time for thinking. Almost half of the owners see this “time for themselves” as the best aspect of walking the dog. Every fifth person have even come to an important life decision on a walk – it concerned moving, changing jobs, ending a relationship or starting a family. 

Walking a dog is one of our most important duty with regard to taking care of a furry friend and even though this activity is mainly done for dogs, it becomes clear that it also brings many benefits to us, humans, as well. And it doesn’t only concern our physical condition. 

Forgetting about everyday worries and spending time with a man’s best friend can clear our heads. Thanks to it, we enjoy some time for ourselves which is badly needed. Many of us use walks to think through an important decision well or to relax. A bonus is that long walks together even strengthen our relationship with our dog companion. 

During the survey, the participants were also asked to take their dog for 8 half-hour-long walks within a week and then to share their impressions. Two thirds of them said their mood and mental health improved. And almost all of them stated that they liked going on walks. More than one third of the participants were disappointed when they couldn’t find time for a planned walk.

It is clear that each person has different reasons for walks. It might be about spending some time with one’s family or to spend time with ourselves. Some people enjoy the peace during the walk, some walk the dog to get in a better shape. So it becomes clear that only a few people see walking the dog as a pure duty. It is sure that walking together has positive effects on us.

What about you, do you enjoy walking your dog and take it for long walks as much as you can? Or do you only go outside with your dog so it can pee and go back home?

 

Related articles

Cat expressions of love

Although it might appear that the cat doesn’t give a tail about you and it is indifferent towards you, maybe you will still find some displays of affection in its behaviour. Do you know how cats show such affection towards a person?

Cats need grass

Cats love grass. They nibble at it if it's to clean their belly from hairs or just for fun. In addition, if you get a cat its own flowerpot, you can hope that it will leave your other plants alone :).

Do you know how to properly remove a tick?

Whether you remove a tick from a dog’s or cat’s fur the right way might affect whether the animal will become infected with Lyme disease or another malign disease transmitted by ticks. Have you got the right technique and tools?

How to detect a Lyme disease infection in a dog

Just like with people, also in dogs, Lyme disease is a very grave illness. There are an estimated 20% of ticks infected in the Czech Republic. And because despite the use of antiparasitic agents, your dog might get a tick from time to time, it’s good...

Even cats have their drugs

I’ve already written about cat mint, today, we’ll take a look at another, lesser known drugs. Since not all the cats respond to all of them and they don’t respond to everything the same way. Therefore, if you didn’t succeed with cat mint, maybe you’ll...

First aid for hyperthermia in an animal

I’ve already written about the fact that you’re not supposed to leave your dog closed in a car on summer days or on how to prevent hyperthermia in cats and dogs. So you have mastered the prevention already. But it is also necessary to know how to...

The Mystery of Cat Tongues

You have probably noticed that cat tongues are quite unique. They are rough and somehow scratchy. It seemed weird to American biologists and therefore they decided to look deeper into it.

How chinchillas got almost exterminated

Without a question, chinchillas are beautiful and cute furry animals with large ears, a long tail and distinctive eyes. Do you know where they actually come from, what their name means and that we almost succeeded in nearly exterminating them before...

How to easily understand the cat food selection

It can be quite a task to choose the right pet food precisely for your cat. To even understand the contents... That’s why we’re going to take a look today what to focus on, what to look for in the contents and what you should rather avoid.