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One factor that’s perhaps more important for your pet’s good health across their life span is letting your pooch socialise and run with their packs. According to the largest-of-its kind detailed survey of owners of 21,410 dogs, socialising with their fellow dogs is the most crucial factor in canine well-being and healthy ageing. The study was published in the advanced online early edition of the journal Evolution, Medicine & Public Health and was led by Snyder-Mackler, Ph.D. student Bri McCoy, and MSc student Layla Brassington. (Also read | New Year resolutions for pet parents: 7 things to do for your furry companions)
Researchers found that socialising with their fellow dogs can benefit your pet five times more than financial factors, household stability or the age of the owner.
Socialising can work wonders for your dog’s happiness and aid them in overcoming fears. This can help them lead a longer and healthier life. Mingling with fellow canines can also boost their confidence and make them better equipped to handle vet visits. Socialisation can have positive effect on your dog’s mental well-being and decrease chances of behavioural issues and issues such as depression and anxiety.
In this large study, researchers found that social companionship with fellow dogs as well as humans could provide a big boost to the pet health.
“This does show that, like many social animals – including humans – having more social companions can be really important for the dog’s health,” says biologist Bri McCoy from Arizona State University.
The study also brought out some interesting insights on how a dog’s overall well-being is connected to financial status of their owners or the number of children in a household. While household adversity reduced their well-being, pet of a rich owner was diagnosed with more diseases perhaps due to affordability factor. A pet in a household with a greater number of children also had reduced well-being, possibly due to lesser time availability for them.
