Owning a dog increases the owner's risk of health problems.

Is it true that Owning a dog increases the owner's risk of health problems?

Partly. Evidence is mixed and only partial: one cohort found dog presence and dog-related problems correlated with poorer owner well-being, and a study of female nurses found higher depression odds among evening-chronotype dog owners, while a systematic review of older adults found no significant depression association and fewer anxiety symptoms, and a clinical commentary notes zoonotic and injury risks mainly for high-risk groups.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 3 sources for, 2 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Barcelos, A. M., Kargas, N., Assheton, P., Maltby, J., Hall, S., & Mills, D. S. (2023). Dog owner mental health is associated with dog behavioural problems, dog care and dog-facilitated social interaction: a prospective cohort study. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48731-z

Dog ownership and mental health among community‐dwelling older adults: A systematic review. (2022). hal.science. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5815

Żebrowska, M., Strohmaier, S., Westgarth, C., Huttenhower, C., Eliassen, H. A., Haghayegh, S., Huang, T., Laden, F., Hart, J., Rosner, B., Kawachi, I., Chavarro, J. E., Okereke, O. I., & Schernhammer, E. (2024). Timing and duration of dog walking and dog owner’s chronotype in relation to incident depression risk among middle to older-aged female nurses. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296922

C.A., I. (2024). Parasites Associated with Dog bites: Occurrence, Risks, and Public Health Implications. zenodo.org. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19134634

Assessing the benefits and risks of owning a pet - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.150274