Understanding the role of dog ownership and walking for better human health

In the UK, declining levels of physical activity are contributing to an epidemic of obesity and alarming increases in preventable conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Previous efforts to promote physical activity have largely failed. However, a powerful motivator for an active lifestyle, already present in many households, has been overlooked. 1 in 4 households in the UK own dogs, yet despite having a furry pal ready to ‘go walkies‘, some owners still do not walk their dogs or walk them only rarely. This study by researchers at the University of Liverpool will examine the aspects of the human-dog relationship that cause some people to walk their dogs, and others not. It will use a combination of face-to-face interviews with dog owners, observational studies and questionnaire surveys. A key focus will be the involvement of children in activities with dogs that may prevent childhood obesity. If all dog owners walked for at least 30 minutes every day, they would meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Many dogs would also live much healthier and happier lives. This study will inform the best methods to motivate walking that is beneficial to the health of both people and dogs.

The UK, like much of the Western Industrialised world, is suffering an epidemic of obesity and an alarming increase in preventable conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This is in part due to declining levels of physical activity, especially in children, but previous efforts to promote physical activity have largely failed. However, there is now compelling evidence that something as simple as dog ownership can make a major contribution to physical activity levels. A dog walk a day is an ideal medium to achieve at least the recommended minimum thirty minutes of exercise.
However, not all dog owners currently walk their dogs. A better understanding of the factors governing physical activity by dog owners could lead to a new national programme of improved health through dog ownership. Given that a quarter of UK household own dogs, and evidence that dog ownership, and detrimental health behaviours such as obesity, are most prevalent in similar populations, the attributable effects of improving dog walking behaviour has potential for substantial benefits. This can be by encouraging dog walking by those who do not currently do so and by altering the intensity of dog walking related activity of those that already do.
In this Fellowship, I propose to investigate in detail the dog-owner relationship and the reasons why people do and don‘t walk with their dogs. I will combine the disciplines of public health, sociology, veterinary epidemiology and animal behaviour, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including objective measures of physical activity of both owner and dog. I will investigate the owner, environment and dog-related factors that influence how often each household member, including children, walks with the dog, for how long, and the human and dog behaviours on walks that provide the physical activity that is potentially most beneficial. A key feature of those who walk seems to be feeling that their dog is a source of motivation and support, suggesting a strong dog-person bond may be required, or is developed through walking together.
Dogs are an accessible and cheap prospective public health intervention that will also benefit significantly from this research. I hypothesise that there are modifiable factors that may be targeted during future health interventions that are appropriate to the barriers and incentives to effective dog walking. This study will provide a detailed understanding of the social context of dog ownership and identify these factors.