Man's Best Friend, Longevity's Best Friend?

By Shannon Kasun, Neuroscience Specialist

Dogs have long earned their reputation as man's best friend, offering companionship, unconditional love, and plenty of reasons to smile. But could our four-legged friends also help us live longer? Research suggests that the benefits of dog ownership may extend beyond companionship, potentially influencing cardiovascular health and longevity. From encouraging daily movement to reducing feelings of loneliness, dogs may play a surprising role in promoting a longer, healthier life.

A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis examined data from more than 3.8 million individuals across 10 studies to investigate the relationship between dog ownership and mortality. Researchers found that, compared to individuals without dogs, dog owners had a 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. The benefits appeared particularly pronounced among individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease. A separate study of Swedish adults who had experienced a heart attack or stroke found that dog ownership was associated with a 33% lower risk of death among heart attack survivors living alone and a 27% lower risk among stroke survivors living alone.

"These two studies provide good, quality data indicating dog ownership is associated with reduced cardiac and all-cause mortality. While these non-randomized studies cannot 'prove' that adopting or owning a dog directly leads to reduced mortality, these robust findings are certainly at least suggestive of this." -Dr. Glenn Levine, M.D.

What makes dogs such promising companions for longevity? The answer may lie in the everyday behaviors they encourage. Dogs provide a natural incentive for physical activity, whether through daily walks, outdoor play, or simply getting up and moving throughout the day. Regular movement supports cardiovascular health, metabolic function, and healthy aging. Beyond physical activity, dogs may also promote psychological well-being by providing companionship, reducing loneliness, and encouraging social interaction. These benefits are particularly meaningful given the established relationships between social isolation, physical inactivity, and premature mortality. Together, these pathways suggest that the benefits of dog ownership may reflect the cumulative influence of several health-promoting behaviors.

Of course, these findings do not establish that owning a dog directly increases lifespan. Individuals who own dogs may differ from nonowners in other ways that influence their health, and further research is needed to establish causality. Nevertheless, the findings offer an interesting perspective on longevity: living better, longer may be shaped as much by the routines and relationships that fill our days as by the deliberate health decisions we make. A daily walk, a moment of companionship, or an opportunity to connect with others may seem small, but over time, these experiences can contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Perhaps man's best friend has something to teach us about the art of aging well.

References

Kramer, C. K., Mehmood, S., & Suen, R. S. (2019). Dog ownership and survival: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 12(10), e005554. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.119.005554

Mubanga, M., Byberg, L., Nowak, C., Egenvall, A., Magnusson, P. K., Ingelsson, E., & Fall, T. (2019). Dog ownership and survival after a major cardiovascular event: A register-based prospective study. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 12(10), e005342. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.118.005342