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Does owning a dog make people more active, or are more active people more likely to get a dog? I'd bet both.

I guess randomly assigning dogs to people and measuring their long term health changes was beyond the budget. And tough to make double blind.

I know someone who bought a dog during a gym/fitness binge. After the binge was over, they hired a dog walker.

Sadly all that experiment would achieve is under excersised dogs.

For me, getting a dog made me more active. Going to gym may or may not happen, but it’s hard to escape my dogs piercing looks when it’s walk time. Rain or shine, feeling down or happy, that duty needs to be done
Definitely made me more active than I was before. I was running about once a week before I got a dog (which is significantly less movement than recommended, so I would count that as sedentary) and with one I have to go on 3-4 walks a day, of 20m or more. Hitting the recommended movement goal with a life setup like that is very easy and no longer going on walks is not an option because that would be sad for your dog.
if only you can rely on people feeling sad enough for their dog to beat their couch potato laziness
I'd say that if not doing right by your pets doesn't make you feel sad you should not be allowed to care for anything, least of all something as dependent as a pet.
Friends of mine working from home (already before covid) adopted dogs just to be forced to leave the house at least twice a day.
What happened in my case -- twice! -- is that I ended up training and walking the dog. It was great in that I got lots of exercise, met lots of people, and bonded to an amazing degree with each dog (and the first dog in particular).

But it didn't turn into a couple activity. And in both cases I didn't even want to get a dog.

Seems a lot like simpson paradox.
But will get you virus/bacterias
These kind of things can actually strengthen your immune system. As was discovered with the tuberculosis vaccine - it conferred near perfect immunity to Covid-19 through what is termed immunotherapy.

A muscle tear is serious. Muscle soreness is strength building. What doesn't gravely injure you, may often make you stronger.

More walking, less stress and socializing with other dog people at the dog park !
I wish people start realising that locking a animal inside a flat is the same as imprison a Dolphin/Elefant/etc... I really don't understand the dual criteria. And how much garbage/waste they "do" and cities has to deal with it. Buy a bicycle! go buy bread/coffee across town. Healthy Cheaper and Cleaner. Or play pokemon!
Locking a wild animal? Yes. Locking a domesticated one, the one that co-evolved with humans, gaining some features (like facial expression) specifically in a context of coexistence? I’m not that sure.

Please see two evolutionary biologists mentioning some of the relevant points starting at 17:54 here https://youtu.be/CS3w9zOGvmw

Cows/sheeps/etc... they also are domesticated. You don't close them in a apartment. And those that are closed for food production you have n groups asking for better conditions for animals. If you buy an egg in Europe that egg is classified if was coming from a chicken in freedom or if was in a cage. Same thing. Why people with cats use hormones ex:feliway so the cat's can be calm? It's because they are OK? Do you take hormones if you are ok? I Don't think so.

I think you got the wrong video! They are talking about if a dog can read expressions from humans with masks.

IIRC I'v read the same thing about golf. There's something about us humans and long walks. Almost like we're made for it...