A new British survey says theres no doubt about it: People who have dogs and walk them regularly get more exercise than the average gym member.
According to the survey of 5,000 Britons, dog people walk their best friends twice a day for 24 minutes a pop, on average. And three times a week, the dogs walkies are quite a bit longer. That adds up to a whopping eight hours of exercise per week!
Those without dogs averaged 80 minutes a week at the gym, jogging, or walking. And nearly half of non-dog people get no exercise at all, the survey found.
A couple of short walks a day soon adds up, a survey official told the Daily Mail. Owning a dog makes us more healthy.
The best news is that people with dogs really enjoy taking their dogs out for exercise. Some 86 percent of survey takers like going out for dog walks. Compare that to a paltry 16 percent who say they enjoy going to the gym, which I must admit can get downright boring at times.
Its obviously best if you dont slog through your walkies unless youre not able to comfortably go faster. Doctors advise picking up the pace for better cardiovascular health.
And FYI, standing around chatting at the dog park doesnt count as exercise for anything except your mouth. We call this taking your dog for a talk. Of course, if you walk to get there, you are redeemed.
Do you feel you get more exercise with your dog than you would/than you do at the gym? If you’re a gym member, do you find far more excuses not to go to the gym than not to walk your dog? (Not walking your dog can lead to poo on your living-room floor. Not going to the gym doesn’t tend to have the same result. That alone is a big point in favor of choosing walkies over gymies.) What do Dogster dogs have to say about this issue? Send us a bark!
