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Does having a furry friend make you more active? Interesting new survey

How does your pet inspire you?

By Steph Green Published May 20, 2025

man with dog — Mart Production / Pexels

It’s an enormous understatement when I say I love my two little furry dogs. I first decided to get dogs because they’re awesome, and I hoped it would help me deal with the challenges of an autoimmune bone condition. There’s nothing like taking them on a walk or a jog around my neighborhood or their favorite parks and trails, and seeing their faces light up. Smiles and wagging tails under the sunlight always perk me up.

Even on those days when I don’t really feel like going, the look in their eyes convinces me otherwise. If you have a dog, you probably know what I’m talking about. When they look longingly at their leashes or gently prod you with their paws, those pups are politely asking for a trip around the block. An interesting survey revealed that our dogs really do encourage us to be more active.

The survey results

In a recent survey of 1,000 dog owners supported by ASICS:

69% said their dogs are their primary motivation to exercise.
40% are more motivated by their dogs to leave the house and engage in physical activity than they are by their family members, personal trainers, or fitness influencers.
Dog owners are more likely to frequently meet physical activity guidelines, at an average of 240 minutes every week.
80% revealed they were less stressed after exercising with their furry friends.
85% said that moving with their pups improves their mental wellbeing and mood.
Professor Brendon Stubbs used the ASICS index and discovered that, on average, dog owners have a 20% higher mental wellbeing score compared to those who don’t have any dogs.

Are dogs the ultimate fitness influencers?

This recent survey shows us that dogs might be better influencers than our fellow humans. Maybe the cuteness has something to do with it. The popular brand ASICS also signed a lovable dog called Felix as a brand Ambassador thanks to his love of walks, runs, and zoomies. The brand is also raising funds for mental health charities, with a little help from our inspiring furry friends. Now I’m even more excited about snuggling my dogs and hitting the trails.

Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and…

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