Owning a dog could help you lose weight – especially if it’s a big breed.
A study found that owners are more motivated to take larger breeds for a walk than smaller ones.
While it may seem obvious that bigger dogs would need to go out more and be given the room to run, some smaller breeds actually need just as much exercise.
Since dog walking is a simple and inexpensive way to encourage owners to get fit, Liverpool University researchers decided to look at why some pets are exercised more than others.
They quizzed more than 600 dog owners about what encouraged them to get off the sofa. Two thirds said having a dog made them walk more – a phenomenon dubbed the ‘Lassie effect’. But bigger dogs were taken out more than smaller breeds. Sick or overweight dogs were also walked less.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, owners were more likely to take their dog out if they believed the animal enjoyed it or if they were very attached to their pet.
And the thought that exercise would stop their dog from barking or keep it healthy also made them reach for the leash, the journal BMC Public Health reports.
Researcher Carri Westgarth, an expert in population health at the university, said there ‘appears to be something special’ in the way owning a pet dog makes people feel motivated or obliged to go for a walk compared to other factors that can encourage us to exercise. She said this health-boosting aspect of the dog-human relationship has been dubbed the Lassie effect ‘due to the iconic television character’s ability to perform life-saving acts’.
But Dr Westgarth said around 40 per cent of those who live with a dog do not walk them, while many could walk their pets more regularly. She said her team’s findings could be used to encourage more people to walk their dogs, such as by ‘changing perceptions of the amount of exercise older and smaller dogs require’.
Caroline Kisko, of The Kennel Club, said typically smaller dogs need less exercise but ‘there are exceptions that people may not be aware of’. For example, a small West Highland White Terrier can need as much exercise as a much larger greyhound.
Daily Mail