Why Dogs And Owners Often Miss Out On The Benefits Of Walking

People and their pet dogs would benefit greatly if there were more access to dog-friendly walking environments and better education about dogs’ physical needs, according to a review of international scientific papers by British scientists. In the U.K., a quarter of households own dogs, but as many as 40 percent of dog owners do not regularly walk their dog. Two key problems were found in the 31 studies surveyed: dog owners often are unaware of how much exercise a dog should get; and pet owners often lacked access to parks where dogs were allowed off-leash and waste-disposal facilities were provided. The result is that both pets and their owners miss out on the health benefits of dog walking.