Many dog walkers ask if dog walking counts as exercise. The answer is yes, though it is kind of conditional and depends on the approach you follow when you do walk your animal.
Does dog walking count as exercise?
With almost 75% of Americans overweight it is important to note a BMC Public Health study which found that dog ownership may improve physical activity among older adults.
The sample group were equipped with health trackers that could identify moderate, sedentary and high energy activity. Researchers found that on average, walking the dog generates an additional 22-minutes exercise and 2,760 steps per day. “On average, Dog Owners met recommended public health guidelines (30 min/day of moderate PA), but Non-Dog Owners did not,” they said.
They noted that owners generally walk briskly, which raises their heart rate just enough to qualify as “moderate exercise”, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By this metric, dog walking is as good as a game of tennis, ballroom dancing, or gardening.
You do need to move, of course. We’ve all seen people who think walking the dog means they stand around with their pooch is kept on the lead, or hover in the park staring at social media on their smartphone while their dog runs wild. They see no benefits.
Around 50% of US dogs are overweight and 25-30% of dogs are obese, according to VCA Animal Hospital. So it is possible their dogs aren’t getting much out of the experience, either.
How much should we walk?
World Health Organization recommendations state the following:
- Children aged 5-17-years should do 60-minutes of moderate to vigorous exercises every day.
- Adults 18-64-years old should engage in moderate exercise for 30 minutes each day, and do more vigorous strenghgtening exercises twice a week.
- Adults 65+ should do daily moderate exercise for 30 minutes, strengthening exercises twice a week, and flexibility exercises (such as yoga or tai-chi) three times a week.
Dog walking can help you meet those moderate exercise guidelines.
Why we all need to take a walk
A 2008 US Department of Labor survey says just 16% of Americans do any type of exercise a day on average. In the UK, research by Bob Martin found that non-dog owners spend an average of just 80-minutes each week at the gym or going for a walk, and 47% of non-dog owners do no exercise at all. A dog owner on average spends at least eight hours a week walking, that study claimed.
But does that dog walking time count?
A Michigan State University study says that most of the time it does. It identified that 60% of dogwalkers meet the criteria for moderate or vigorous exercise during the walk. In other words, if you put the effort in, you will unlock great rewards. Some estimates claim you may lose around 205 calories an hour just walking your dog — that’s 1,640 calories a week that are being burned off by most average dog walkers.
What are the benefits of dog walking?
The American Heart Association claims dog ownership probably reduces the risk of cardio-vascular disease. Additional benefits include lowering blood pressure and preventing diabetes. In the US, national guidelines demand 150-minutes a week of moderate exercise, though you do need to try to move.
We’ve found other statistics that claim walking your dog helps you achieve:
- 75% less risk of breast cancer.
- 49% decrease in heart disease risk.
- Over a third (35%) less chance of diabetes.
- Colon cancer risk falls by 22%
There’s also the psychological impact of dog ownership. Owning the dog helps force you to make time to take a walk with your pet.
Dr. Elizabeth Frates, director of wellness programming at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital explains: “A dog provides love, companionship, and a sense of purpose that propels you to get outside walking every day.”
Just that sense of purpose on its own is enough to justify the dog walk.
And, of course, walking with your dog also helps fight depression, stress, and loneliness.
Dog walking gives you these benefits
So, these are the benefits of walking your dog:
- You will be more active and will burn calories and have better joints.
- Lesss likely to develop cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
- You will combat depression and feelings of loneliness.
- And you will sometimes have a brilliant time with your dog, and can use this time to train, interact, play, and bond with your pet.
Why dogs need to walk
The benefits for dogs are also huge:
As well as exercise, being with you helps boost their mental and emotional health, reduces obesity, boosts joint health, and maintains digestive and urinary health. They also get to interact with you, the local area, other dogs, play, poop, and have a good time.
A happy dog is nearly always easier to manage than an unhappy or bored animal. Keep them fit and stimulated and you will dramatically improve dog behavior.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
