🌅 Owning a Dog Can Lead to a Longer Life

SOURCE

Kramer et al. (2019)

WHAT TO KNOW

• A 2019 study reviewing research published over the past seven decades found dog ownership is associated with a 24% risk reduction in all-cause mortality when compared to non-dog owners. When examining only cardiovascular health, the benefit for dog owners is even greater, enjoying a 31% lower risk of death from heart attack or stroke.

WHY IT MATTERS

• The researchers stopped short of establishing a causal relationship between dog ownership and a longer life, instead calling for further work on the subject. A recent study by a different research team may provide an answer: dogs appear to help humans regulate stress at the biological level.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• Dogs’ bond with humans can even be seen in their faces. A 2019 study by researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. found dogs might have developed their expressive eyebrows as a way to communicate more effectively with humans.