Research Says Having a Dog Can Boost Your Longevity

I've had four dogs since my mid-20s — three Cocker Spaniels and one Jack Russell Terrier — and I've come to believe that canines are unmatched as companions, providing faithful, unconditional love. They're even great listeners. (My current cocker, Binx, often “cocks” his head from side to side when I’m talking with him.) If there were no other reason to live with a dog than that, it would be enough.

But, as it turns out, there may be another reason. Dog owners appear to live longer than non-dog owners, according to quite a bit of research. In a 2019 meta-analysis of nearly 4 million people published in the journal Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, researchers found that having a dog was linked to a 24 percent lower risk of death from any cause during the study period compared with people who lived canine-free. The benefit seemed especially strong in those who had previous heart attacks or other coronary problems and seemed to be associated with a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular disease regardless of a person’s health history.

Of course, this type of study cannot prove dogs help us live longer. People who choose to own a dog may be in better health, or have more disposable income, than people who do not — just two dog-related factors that might confer a cardiovascular and longevity benefit on their own.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.