An Examination of the Possible Benefits for Well-Being Arising from the Social Interactions that Occur while Dog Walking

Abstract

Although researchers have established that companion animals act as social catalysts by promoting interaction between people, they have not examined the possible benefi cial effects for well-being arising from the social interactions that occur while dog walk ing. The present study examined the relations between dog walkers' social interactions and two components of psychological well-being. A sample of 987 Canadian dog walk ers (18-84 years old) completed an online survey. Results of hierarchical regression anal yses revealed that dog walkers who conversed with the people they encountered while dog walking were less lonely, but not less stressed, than those who did not converse with the people they encountered. Findings from closed-and open-ended questions pro vided insight into the positive benefits dog walkers received from their social interac tions while dog walking. This study provides preliminary evidence that the social interactions that occur through dog walking are related to aspects of psychological well-being.Keywords dog walking -friendships -loneliness -social interactions -stress A "social catalyst" has been described as a stim ulus, such as a com panion anim al, th a t facilitates social interactions betw een individuals (Wells, 2007; M essent, 1985). In one o f the earliest studies, Mugford and M'Comisky (1975) found that, am ong seniors w ho lived alone, those w ho w ere given a budgerigar (parakeet) engaged in m ore social interactions than b oth the seniors who A bstract © KONINKLIJKE BRILL NV, LEIDEN, 2014 |

Companion dog acquisition and mental well-being: a community-based three-arm controlled study

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