The prejudice about dogs is not all unfounded. Dogs can be a nuisance, by fouling parks and footpaths, by threatening livestock or wildlife, or in extreme cases by attacking other dogs or people. Most of these problems, however, are more the fault of the owner than of the dog. A well-trained and well-controlled dog (as, to be fair, the large majority are) is very rarely a problem.
On the other hand, dogs undoubtedly have great benefits. There have been hundreds of research studies examining the social and health effects of owning, or contact with, dogs. The large majority have shown that the effects are clearly positive. Amongst other things, it's been demonstrated that dogs:
The benefits of exercise-taking are especially clear. Owning a dog increases the frequency and duration of exercise - for, like it or not, come rain or come shine, Fido will demand walkies. This, in turn, helps the owner to stay physically active and fit. On average therefore, dog-owners are less likely to be obese, have lower blood pressure, have a lower rate of stroke or heart disease and live longer.
As several studies have shown, however, the benefits of exercise-taking are conditional on one thing: whether owners actually walk their dogs. And 'walking the dog' doesn't mean just a short and slow amble to the pub or tobacconist, nor standing in a park while the dog runs around. It means a thirty-minute or more stride-out, that gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing. So everything depends on whether there are suitable places in the neighbourhood for dog-walking.
One would think that, in this case, the government and local authorities would make some real effort to encourage dog-ownership and provide access for dog-walking. Sadly, neither is true. There remains a strong prejudice against dogs in New Zealand, and it sometimes seem that every excuse is used to restrict or ban them.
Providing space and facilities for dog-walking, however, isn't only doing something for the public good. It also offers economic rewards. Dog-walkers often spend money where they walk - so local cafes, shops and services often benefit.
It's worth doing the statistics. There are something like half a million dogs in New Zealand - roughly one for every three households. Not all of those are walked regularly, but even if only a quarter of them are, once a week, that's over 6 million walks per year. And if only one tenth of these involve a pause for a coffee, that amounts to a spend of about $1.5 million per year. So rather than trying to frighten dog-walkers away, communities might want to entice them to stop, stay a while, and take a refreshing cuppa after their stroll. How I wish . . .
On the other hand, dogs undoubtedly have great benefits. There have been hundreds of research studies examining the social and health effects of owning, or contact with, dogs. The large majority have shown that the effects are clearly positive. Amongst other things, it's been demonstrated that dogs:
- provide companionship
- help children to learn social skills and to be empathetic
- improve self-esteem
- reduce blood pressure and improve cardio-vascular health
- reduce depression
- increase exercise-taking
The benefits of exercise-taking are especially clear. Owning a dog increases the frequency and duration of exercise - for, like it or not, come rain or come shine, Fido will demand walkies. This, in turn, helps the owner to stay physically active and fit. On average therefore, dog-owners are less likely to be obese, have lower blood pressure, have a lower rate of stroke or heart disease and live longer.
As several studies have shown, however, the benefits of exercise-taking are conditional on one thing: whether owners actually walk their dogs. And 'walking the dog' doesn't mean just a short and slow amble to the pub or tobacconist, nor standing in a park while the dog runs around. It means a thirty-minute or more stride-out, that gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing. So everything depends on whether there are suitable places in the neighbourhood for dog-walking.
One would think that, in this case, the government and local authorities would make some real effort to encourage dog-ownership and provide access for dog-walking. Sadly, neither is true. There remains a strong prejudice against dogs in New Zealand, and it sometimes seem that every excuse is used to restrict or ban them.
Providing space and facilities for dog-walking, however, isn't only doing something for the public good. It also offers economic rewards. Dog-walkers often spend money where they walk - so local cafes, shops and services often benefit.
It's worth doing the statistics. There are something like half a million dogs in New Zealand - roughly one for every three households. Not all of those are walked regularly, but even if only a quarter of them are, once a week, that's over 6 million walks per year. And if only one tenth of these involve a pause for a coffee, that amounts to a spend of about $1.5 million per year. So rather than trying to frighten dog-walkers away, communities might want to entice them to stop, stay a while, and take a refreshing cuppa after their stroll. How I wish . . .