New research shows the best way to keep dogs happy and healthy as they age with their human companions is by surrounding them with other dogs.
Researchers conducted the largest survey of its kind on more than 21,000 dog owners. Published on May 13 in the journal Evolution, Medicine & Public Health, the study shows what health factors are important to keep canines aging alongside their humans.
"People love their dogs," Noah Snyder-Mackler, assistant professor of life sciences at Arizona State University, said in a press release. "But what people may not know, is that this love and care, combined with their relatively shorter lifespans, make our companion dogs a great model for studying how and when aspects of the social and physical environment may alter aging, health and survival."
Research was conducted by the Dog Aging Project, a collective, ongoing study with some universities in the U.S.,that aims to understand how genes, lifestyle and environmental factors play into a dog’s life. More than 45,000 dogs are enrolled to participate.
The latest study led by Snyder-Mackler, PhD student Bri McCoy, and master’s student Layla Brassington, analyzed a survey of dog owners.
It attempted to find key social aspects of healthy dog lifestyles to understand the science behind how our beloved canines age.
Questions posed to owners included the dog’s physical activity, environment, behaviour, diet, medications and owner demographics among others.
These questions helped researchers understand the dog’s social environment and well-being.
From the survey, five key factors emerged that impact a dog’s health: neighbourhood stability, total household income, social time with children, social time with animals and owner age.
"They found that the dogs lived and built environment predicted their health, disease diagnoses, and physical mobility–even after controlling for the dog’s age and weight," the study reads.
Specifically, financial and household adversity was linked to poorer health for the pup and reduced physical mobility. Whereas, social companionship such as living with other dogs increased a canine’s health.
"These effects of each environmental component were not equal: the effect of social support was five times stronger than financial factors," the research concluded.
This shows that for dogs, like many other animals, socialization is important to health, McCoy said in the press release.
Researchers were surprised to note that there were negative outcomes on a dog’s health if there were children in the household.
"We found that time with children actually had a detrimental effect on dog health," Brassington said in the press release. "The more children or time that owners dedicate to their children likely leads to less time with their furry children."
The study also found dogs that come from higher-income households were diagnosed with more diseases, though noted that’s because pets in these homes have better access to medical care.
A small group of the dogs participating in this study (1,000 owners and dogs) are now part of other research discovering the connection between social and biological determinants of health.
"In future research, we will look at electronic veterinary medical records, molecular and immunological measures, and at-home physical tests to generate more accurate measures of health and frailty in the companion dog," Snyder-Mackler said.
Researchers noted that since these are owner-reported outcomes, there may be some error, bias, and/or misinterpretation of survey questions.
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' — where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
Metis organizations in Ontario and Alberta say they'll stay on the path toward self-government, despite the uncertain future of a contentious bill meant to do just that.
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Nigerian soldiers rescued a woman who was abducted by extremists a decade ago while she was a schoolgirl in the village of Chibok, the army said Thursday. Her three children were also rescued.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A moderately-strong earthquake struck central Turkiye on Thursday, the country's disaster management agency said. It was not immediately clear if it caused any casualties or damage.
Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem captured this year's prestigious World Press Photo of the Year award Thursday with a depiction of loss and sorrow in Gaza, a heartrending photo of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her young niece.
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
One of the most prominent figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany party went on trial Thursday on charges of using a Nazi slogan, months before a regional election in which he is running to become his state's governor.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is a 'fraud' for portraying himself as a friend of the working class, the head of the country's largest labour organization said Thursday, urging unions to do everything they can to expose him before the next federal election.
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
The Ottawa Hospital is hoping artificial intelligence will help reduce physician burnout and increase access to care for patients.
Progress has been made on a new compensation model for family doctors, with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) hopeful for a fall rollout.
A Winnipeg man is raising a red flag after his landlord said no to health-care equipment that could change his life – a problem he believes is a human rights issue.
An ancient giant snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a tonne, researchers reported Thursday.
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
Congratulations are in order for singer Ashanti and rapper Nelly. The reunited couple have gone public with both a pregnancy and their engagement.
Solving a longstanding construction worker shortage will be key to boosting housing supply, experts say, as Canada's national housing agency continues to forecast housing start levels that fall short of growing demand.
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company's cloud computing contract with the Israeli government, according to statements from the company and campaigners.
Ten beagles rescued from animal testing in the United States arrived in Alberta on Wednesday, thanks to a Canadian charity.
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
The NFL draft will be offensive. We’re not talking about hurt feelings. This draft has the potential to set a record for most offensive players selected in the first round.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Calls for action against Israel in international soccer because of the conflict with Hamas will be stepped up by Palestinian officials at the annual FIFA congress next month.
Tesla will ask shareholders to reinstate a US$55 billion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that was rejected by a judge in Delaware this year and to move the electric car maker's corporate home from Delaware to Texas.
Tesla has hit a series of roadblocks, including increased competition and declining sales. The company announced Monday it is slashing 10 per cent of its global workforce.
A driver from London will have to find alternative transportation after an OPP officer clocked them travelling nearly 200 km/h on Highway 401 over the weekend.
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
As predicted, a new proposal to charge for parking at Vancouver's Spanish Banks Beach has been met with swift backlash from the community.
Police are warning the public against replica firearms in open spaces after officers were called about two men who allegedly had a gun near a North Vancouver construction site earlier this week.
A Nanaimo, B.C., woman says she is serenading a killer whale calf with her violin, hoping to entice the orca to leave the remote lagoon where she has been trapped alone for almost four weeks.
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Gas prices jumped an average of 14 cents per litre overnight in the GTA, climbing to levels not seen in nearly two years as the switch from winter fuel to a more expensive summer blend pushes up the price at the pumps.
Bets on World Boxing Association events are now prohibited in Ontario after an investigation turned up evidence of ‘suspicious’ wager activity on a match held late last year.
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
Two people are in hospital and police are investigating a fight between a man and a woman in Forest Lawn early Thursday morning.
A Calgary woman who won $1 million on a Lotto 6-49 Gold Ball draw says she hasn't been able to sleep in days.
The driver killed in a head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes when the vehicle collided with a second vehicle, according to Ontario Provincial Police.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at Ottawa City Hall on Thursday, for a meeting to discuss municipal-federal issues.
A student transportation driver in Ottawa is facing charges following an investigation into alleged sexual offences in the Centretown area, according to Ottawa police.
Motorists are facing higher prices in many parts of Quebec as gas stations switch from winter to summer gasoline.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
François Legault still doesn't know the price of a 4 1/2 apartment in Montreal, three years after getting bogged down on the issue.
Alberta is introducing new legislation aimed at preventing spikes in electricity prices.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Cool air has settled in over the province and it'll be here for a few more days.
Seven people are facing charges under the federal Cannabis Act after peace officers with the Department of Justice and Public Safety seized contraband from dispensaries in Saint John, Riverview, and Moncton, N.B., earlier this month.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says an agreement in principle has been reached on a new contract for public school teachers.
The case of the teen charged in the death of Tyson MacDonald in southeastern Prince Edward Island has once again been adjourned.
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
The Winnipeg Police Service is investigating a homicide in the city’s North End on Thursday morning.
The Mobile Overdose Prevention Site operated by Sunshine House has been in operation since late 2022, and now a report is being released sharing the results of its first year.
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte is set to speak on a recent offer from the province – presenting a potential end to Saskatchewan's nearly year-long education labour dispute with educators.
A letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon is calling on the provincial government to reduce money spent on out of province travel nurses and further support homegrown health-care staff.
Attendees are concerned the provincial government is not properly consulting First Nations on a number of issues such as hunting and trapping laws, crown land sales, as well as forestry and environmental affairs.
Don’t be alarmed if you see some strange new creatures in Waterloo Park.
People living in the community of Ayr say they are dealing with a safety concern due to transport trucks travelling through their downtown.
Pizza and coffee wasn’t what Jeet Shergill was expecting to order on his lunch break, but he saw the posters of the new menu item at Tim Hortons and decided to give it a shot.
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte is set to speak on a recent offer from the province – presenting a potential end to Saskatchewan's nearly year-long education labour dispute with educators.
Concern is growing for Saskatoon's homeless population with a core neighbourhood shelter set to close in days.
A letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon is calling on the provincial government to reduce money spent on out of province travel nurses and further support homegrown health-care staff.
WARNING: Please be aware that some details of this story are upsetting. An animal cruelty investigation is underway in northern Ontario after a box of dead puppies was found at a landfill site, police say.
The body of a missing man has been found after his vehicle was pulled into a northern creek on Saturday morning, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Members of London Acorn chanted slogans and called for urgent action from all levels of government to prevent the loss of affordable housing units.
Speaking in Muncey on Thursday, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said $6.4-million will help people in London, Lambton and Chathamk-Kent.
Drivers were faced with some big numbers at the pumps Thursday morning. The price of gas shot up over night by about 15 cents to around $1.79 per litre.
Emergency crews freed one person trapped in their vehicle after a collision involving a transport truck on Highway 12 in Orillia Thursday afternoon.
Police advise vehicle owners to be cautious about selling privately after a recent incident where the seller did everything right when faced with a scammer.
A Barrie police officer charged with discreditable conduct following an OPP investigation made a court appearance via teleconference on Thursday morning.
Two parents and a personal support worker in Windsor have been charged in connection to the death of a 29-year-old woman. On April 19, 2022, police were called to a home in the 2600 block of Meadowbrook Lane near Lauzon Parkway for an 'unresponsive female.'
One person has been taken to hospital after Windsor fire crews responded to a house on Alexis Road. The call came in shortly after 12 p.m. and multiple units responded.
Damage is estimated at $300,000 after a house fire in the Fontainebleau area.
A Nanaimo, B.C., woman says she is serenading a killer whale calf with her violin, hoping to entice the orca to leave the remote lagoon where she has been trapped alone for almost four weeks.
Mounties near Victoria say they arrested an intoxicated man who was threatening people with a knife Tuesday on the Galloping Goose Trail.
The B.C. government will be making an announcement Thursday about incoming short-term rental rules.
A banana ball python that was stolen from a Kelowna pet store on Saturday has been returned unharmed, Mounties said.
Nurses held a rally Wednesday at a hospital in the B.C. Interior that closed its emergency department more than a dozen times last year due to insufficient staff.
British Columbia is planning to add 240 new units to its complex-care housing program, providing homes for people with mental-health and addictions challenges that overlap with other serious conditions.
Three men who helped lead and co-ordinate the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., have been found guilty of public mischief.
Lethbridge police have arrested a Vermilion, Alta., man in connection with a 'grandparent scam' that took aim at a local senior.
An Alberta woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway north of Coaldale, Alta., on Wednesday morning.
A 65-year-old northern Ontario woman says her winning lottery scratch ticket is the best present she has ever received.
A northern Ont. city councillor says she fears many women will go without the proper health care after town loses access to mobile cancer screening.
For the next several months, the City of Sault Ste. Marie will be cracking down on people who improperly use accessible parking spaces.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
A pricing agreement has been reached between crab fishers and seafood processors that will allow for Newfoundland and Labrador's annual crab fishery to get started.
Longliners across Newfoundland and Labrador are tied up once again, as a new protest by the province's fish harvesters threatens to derail the crab fishery for a second straight year.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
© 2024 
All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy