What Walking Your Dog Every Day Does for Your Heart

A woman walking briskly with her dog along a tree-lined street at sunrise

Your dog doesn’t care about your step count. But every time they nudge you toward the door, they may be doing your heart a favor.

Here’s what the research actually says about dog walking and heart health, including the part that often gets oversold.

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Quick Check

Which of these has research clearly shown?

• Walking a dog lowers your blood pressure

• Dog owners tend to walk more

• Any slow stroll counts as exercise

The answer is in #1.

In a UK study of older adults, dog owners walked about 22 minutes more per day than people without dogs, and that extra walking was at a moderate pace.

The American Heart Association pointed to similar findings. In one study of more than 5,200 adults, dog owners were 54 percent more likely to get the recommended amount of activity.

Wondering when to fit that walk in? Here’s what to think about.

An older couple walking their dog on a park path

What’s The Best Time of Day to Walk Your Dog?

There’s generally no single “right” time to leash up your dog. The weather, your dog’s personality, and your daily routine can all make certain times better than others though. The most important thing is that your dog gets outside regularly and that conditions are safe and comfortable for both of y

Rachel

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults, and brisk walking is its main example. That’s about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Two brisk dog walks a day can get you most of the way there. A slow sniff around the block is great for your dog, but it’s the brisk part that counts toward your goal.

A man walking his dog briskly at dusk on a winter evening

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In 2013, an American Heart Association panel concluded that owning a pet, particularly a dog, is probably associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

The panel was careful. The studies don’t prove that dogs cause the benefit, and healthier people may simply be more likely to have pets. It also said no one should get a pet just to lower their heart risk.

An adult resting on porch steps with their dog after a walk

You may have heard that walking your dog lowers your blood pressure. Harvard Health notes that in multiple studies, dog owners have had lower blood pressure than non-owners.

But when Australian researchers followed people who got a new dog, their blood pressure didn’t change, and the extra steps faded after a few months. So the link is real, but it isn’t proof.

An adult tying sneakers while their dog waits with its leash

A 2019 review of studies covering about 3.8 million people found that dog ownership was linked to a 24 percent lower risk of death from any cause.

Like the other findings, that’s a link, not proof. Still, the daily walks your dog asks for are one likely reason it shows up.

A smiling senior man walking a small terrier through a sunny park

Try This Tonight

Add some brisk minutes to tonight’s walk. Start with five to 10 easy minutes to warm up, then walk briskly for at least 10 minutes, as Harvard Health suggests. Your dog will happily keep up.

Dog owners walk more, and that extra walking is good for your heart. Research hasn’t proven that a dog lowers your blood pressure, so don’t count on that part.

What you can count on is the walk itself. Make it brisk, make it daily, and let your dog set the reminder.

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