North west dog owners get more exercise and talk more than those without, according to new figures

A new study has found that dog owners in the north west walk and talk more than those without while dog lovers across the country claim to walk 870 miles a year – just walking their pet.
Bailey the golden retriever out for a walk with his owner. A new survey has shown north west dog owners walk on average more than 18 miles a week exercising their dogs.Bailey the golden retriever out for a walk with his owner. A new survey has shown north west dog owners walk on average more than 18 miles a week exercising their dogs.
Bailey the golden retriever out for a walk with his owner. A new survey has shown north west dog owners walk on average more than 18 miles a week exercising their dogs.

The study, of 2,000 adults including 1,000 dog and non-dog owners found that dog owners in the North West on average walk more than 18 miles a week. Across the country, on average almost 17 miles are walked every week thanks to our dogs, while those without a pooch will trek less than 14 miles.Results show that the average pooch in the North West is taken out on a walk for an average of 35 minutes every day and 10 times every week. With each walk covering almost two miles, that means a total of aroundsix6 hours a week or 13 days a year, spent exercising the dog!Meanwhile, 43 per cent of the dog owners surveyed in the North West confirmed that owning a dog has improved their overall mental health and has reduced their stress levels, and 18 per cent of those surveyed in the North West even stated they feel more social and more connected to the community as owners on average strike up two conversations with fellow dog lovers during each trip out.Over a third of dog owners in the North West say they walk further now than they did before getting their four-legged friend.The survey – carried out via OnePoll.com and commissioned by Lintbells, manufacturer of natural joint supplements for pets and people – also revealed that dog owners in the North West pick up nearly 1,040 ‘poop bags’, play 2,080 games of fetch and call their pet’s name at least 1,560 times, annually – all when walking the family pet.Gemma Cunningham, from Lintbells said: “Dogs can be a great addition to the family and a real incentive to get out and spend some quality time with your family and friends. It’s great to see that the results of the survey show how much our dogs have a positive impact on their owner’s lives. It is important, to take time out of your busy schedule to exercise – both for your own and your canine’s overall health and wellbeing.