Dog-owners 'lead healthier lives'

If you want to live a healthier life get a dog, research suggests.

The companionship offered by many pets is thought to be good for you, but the benefits of owning a dog outstrip those of cat owners, the study says.

A psychologist from Queen's University, Belfast, said dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Dr Deborah Wells in British Journal of Health Psychology, says that research studies suggest that Pet Owners on an average live longer than non pet owners and among them dog owners live longer than other pet owners. The pet owners seemed to have lower Cholesterol and lower blood pressure. They can't precisely say what is the reason behind this, but they think it might be due to the affection of the dogs reducing stress, companionship and the increase in the physical activity associated with dog walking. Dr. June McNicholas, a Psychologist says that social support offered by animals is more than the social support offered by humans that helps the owners especially when their children leave home and also offer an opportunity to react more socially with other pet owners. I don't have neither dogs or cats so I can't confirm this, I know there are many pet owners here in DJ who can have a say about this study.