Pawful news for dog owners: Owning a pooch does NOT make you happier – and can actually make you more anxious, vets say
But a new study casts doubt on this 'pet effect' - the hypothesised boost in health and happiness for those who surround themselves with cats, dogs and other companion animals.
As part of the study, researchers examined the short and long-term effects of getting a new pet during the Covid pandemic.
And it's bad news for dog owners – as analysis reveals little support for the romanticised view we hold of 'man's best friend'.
While pet acquisition did provide an initial boost to cheerfulness, this only lasted up to four months.
And over a longer period, getting a new pet - especially a dog - was actually linked to a reduction in calmness, activity, cheerfulness and life satisfaction.
Surprisingly, the researchers also found that losing a pet did not appear to leave a mark on the wellbeing of owners.
And they warned that the demands of pet care can 'outweigh initial benefits'.
The study involved 65 people who acquired a pet, and 75 who lost a pet, in Hungary during the pandemic.
Participants were asked to answer questionnaires on wellbeing over six months, and the scientists compared answers from before and after pets were bought, as well as after any pets died.
Judit Mokos, one of the study's first authors from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, said: 'What surprised me most was that a new pet in the household had no effect on the respondents' loneliness.
'Dog adoption is often promoted as a solution for elderly and/or lonely people. Shelters and pet food companies promote adoption as a means of alleviating loneliness.
'However, our research suggests that dogs do not provide a real solution to loneliness; rather, they make the new owners more anxious.'
The team said one possible reason that the initial boost in cheerfulness is so short-lived is that prospective owners often have strong expectations about the positive impact of living with an animal.
For the first few months these initial expectations, combined with the novelty effect of the pet, may 'mask emerging challenges'.
'However, as the novelty fades, unmet expectations and associated difficulties may negatively impact the owner's wellbeing,' they said.
Acquiring a cat was also found to negatively impact activity levels, suggesting that new cat owners spent more time at home.
However, cat owners remained more active than dog owners, possibly because newly-acquired dogs are more challenging to leave at home compared to cats.'
Eniko Kubinyi, another of the study's authors, added: 'Based on the data, most people, living together with a companion animal, do not seem to experience any long-term 'pet effect', nor do they bond strongly with their animal.
'It is possible that the dynamics of the pandemic have led many to make impulsive choices against their long-term interest, or that only certain groups—like devoted animal lovers or older adults living alone—truly benefit from pets in stressful times.'
Writing in the journal Scientific Reports the team added: 'These findings challenge the widely held belief that pet acquisition leads to lasting improvements in well-being, suggesting instead that the demands of pet care—especially for dogs—can outweigh initial benefits.'
It's possible that vet bills, restrictions on travel and disobedience issues could be behind the anxiety linked to having a dog.
Despite the findings previous research, carried out by the same university, has found that dog owners rate their bond with their pet as more satisfying than their relationships with their friends, partners and even their children.
A survey of 700 owners revealed that they felt their dog loves them more than anyone else and is also their best source of companionship.
A separate study, carried out by the University of Kent, found that having a pet boosts your mood as much as an additional £70,000 a year would.
In good news for singletons, the team also found that the benefits of pet ownership are equivalent to those gained from marriage.
Dr Adelina Gschwandtner, lead author of the study, said: 'This research answers the question whether overall pet companions are good for us with a resounding 'Yes'.
'Pets care for us and there is a significant monetary value associated with their companionship.'
WHAT ARE THE TEN COMMONLY HELD MYTHS ABOUT DOGS?
It is easy to believe that dogs like what we like, but this is not always strictly true.
Here are ten things which people should remember when trying to understand their pets, according to Animal behaviour experts Dr Melissa Starling and Dr Paul McGreevy, from the University of Sydney.
1. Dogs don't like to share
2. Not all dogs like to be hugged or patted
3. A barking dog is not always an aggressive dog
4. Dogs do not like other dogs entering their territory/home
5. Dogs like to be active and don't need as much relaxation time as humans
6. Not all dogs are overly friendly, some are shyer to begin with
7. A dog that appears friendly can soon become aggressive
8. Dogs need open space and new areas to explore. Playing in the garden won't always suffice
9. Sometimes a dog isn't misbehaving, it simply does not understand what to do or what you want
10. Subtle facial signals often preempt barking or snapping when a dog is unhappy
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