Unleashing the benefits: family dogs and children’s physical activity

As we contend with rising rates of sedentary behavior among children, initiatives that encourage active lifestyles, such as walking and playing with the family dog, warrant further exploration and support.

Breakthrough research

Research by the Telethon Kids Institute and the University of Western Australia is the first to examine the longitudinal effects of dog ownership on children’s movement behaviors.

Over a 3-year period, the study followed 600 children between the ages of 2 and 7, monitoring the influence of dog ownership – or loss – on their physical activity levels.

Utilizing accelerometers and parent report surveys, researchers measured children’s time spent sedentary, on screens, and being physically active.

The effects of dog ownership

Overall, findings from the study show dog ownership can have a positive influence on children’s physical activity and that we start to see those benefits from early childhood.

An increase in daily physical activity was observed in children whose families acquired a dog over the study period, while those whose families experienced the loss of a dog recorded a drop-off in physical activity.

The results were more pronounced among girls. On average, girls who acquired a dog increased their light-intensity activities and games by almost an hour a day.

Conversely, girls who experienced the loss of a dog decreased their light-intensity activities and games by around the same amount of time.

The role of walking and playing

Both boys and girls who acquired a dog increased their unstructured physical activity – such as playing in the yard, going to the park and walking or playing with the dog – by around 7 occasions per week, compared to children without dogs.

In contrast, children who lost a dog reduced their unstructured physical activity by 10 sessions per week for girls and almost 8 sessions per week for boys.

When walking and playing with the dog were excluded, there were no changes in unstructured physical activity. This suggests the changes were directly related to the addition of dog-facilitated physical activity.

New findings

Previous research has often focused on adults or examined the impact of dog ownership at a single point in time. What sets this research apart is its longitudinal nature, offering insights into the causal effects of dog ownership on children’s movement behaviors.

This study showed it wasn’t that more active children acquired a dog, but adding a dog to the household increased children’s unstructured and light-intensity physical activity, especially among girls.

Insights into the effects of loss

The research also provides the first evidence on a previously overlooked aspect: the impact of losing a family dog on children’s movement behaviors.

Children in this study who lost a dog demonstrated a decline in unstructured physical activity, and, for girls, their light-intensity physical activity.

Losing a family pet is often children’s first experience of death and can elicit a profound grief response that could reduce participation in normal activities.

However, it can also provide children opportunity to learn about the life and death cycles of animals and the importance of caring for animals through the aging process.

Promoting active lifestyles

Regular physical activity from an early age is crucial for children’s health and well-being. Dog ownership could play a role in promoting healthy movement behaviors and reducing the short- and long-term risks of many chronic diseases.

Families who have a canine companion should be encouraged to leverage this opportunity to promote active lifestyles among children, as not all children who have a dog walk and play with it, causing them to miss out on a daily source of physical activity for them and the family dog.

However, it’s essential to approach the findings of this research with nuance. While dog ownership can positively impact children’s physical activity, it comes with responsibilities and is not appropriate for every family.

Taking a ‘one health’ approach – a multi-sectorial strategy aiming to improve the health of people, animals and the environment by recognizing the interconnections between them – both human and animal health professionals can encourage dog owners to increase their dog-facilitated physical activity in a safe and appropriate manner to support canine and human health.