Walk Your Dog, Walk Yourself

People who walk a dog don’t just walk the dog, of course – they walk themselves, too. And a researcher at Michigan State University says both benefit.

Mathew Reeves looked at Michigan data from a survey coordinated by HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He says dog walkers got more activity than dog owners who did not walk them – and that walkers got more activity in general, not just from walking.

Reeves doesn’t think much of "sit" for people or pets.

"There’s a lot of unwalked dogs. Forty percent of dogs don’t get walked at all, and the ones that do get walked only get walked three times a week. So try and get the dog out every day; good for you, good for the animal."

Learn more at hhs.gov