The Benefits That Teens In Dog-Owning Families Reap

You might have resisted pleas for a family dog before, but if your children are hitting their teen years you may find good reasons to give in.

Teens in dog-owning families are more physically active, according to researchers writing in a recent issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The researchers asked more than 600 pairs of Minneapolis teens and parents to spend a week wearing accelerometers, which measure time spent moving.

The teens from dog-owning families logged about 15 minutes a week more than the dog-free teens. The parents in dog families didn’t show an equal increase in activity compared with dog-less parents, which surprised the scientists and may reassure you that your teen really will walk the dog.