Dog owners walk 23,739 miles over their pet's lifetime

New research has shown that dog owners walk 23,739 miles - three times the length of Britain - on average, during the course of their pet's lifetime. Health and veterinary care experts note that pet insurance policy holders and their dogs resultantly enjoy health-benefits brought by the daily, brisk exercise.

The Daily Mail has reported that British dog owners are likely to spend eight hours and 54 minutes per week exercising their dog, covering a weekly distance of 36 miles.

Over the course of the average pet's 12.8 year life-span, experts have forecast that pet owners spend 5,934.9 hours walking their dog, enabling pet owners to comfortably raise their fitness levels to cover four or more miles-per-hour while exercising their pet.

41 per cent of pet owners choose to walk their pet through their local neighbourhood, while 42 per cent visit a local park, 25 per cent turn to the countryside and 13 per cent choose to walk by the seaside.

67 per cent of 3,000 pet owners surveyed during the course of the research believed that their dog would like to go on more walks, while only 14 per cent of dog owners thought their animal was lazy.

Pet insurance expert Nikki Sellers has explained that the results are particularly encouraging given that daily exercise is likely to have health benefits for pet owners and pets alike, and reduces the likelihood of pet owners having to make pet insurance claims to cover the cost of treating pet-health problems that are related to animal obesity.

"These research results are incredible, particularly as they are based on the average owner walking their dog for five days of the week, rather than seven," Sellers said, adding:

"But walking the dog has enormous benefits - not only for the health of the animal but for the health of their owner as well. We're fairly sure dog owners walk far more than other people."

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:01:00 GMT