# Are dogs as pets really bad to health as some claim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506 "2020-03-14T22:46:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/23 "2020-03-19T02:36:27Z")
When you consider that > [@](#): > > Scientists generally agree that there is good evidence that dogs were domesticated around 15,000 years ago. By 14,000 years ago, people were burying dogs, sometimes along with humans. That alone is a pretty good indication that they are not a health hazard to humans. If they caused a plague at any point in that history, they would have been kicked to the curb. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/24 "2020-03-19T11:49:41Z")
> [@HengsenKerpangsen](#): > > \*\*\*(By “slept with” I mean they sleep on the bed with me) Yes, thank you for clearing that up. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/25 "2020-03-19T12:21:18Z")
I read that dogs can get CV. From people! People kissing their dogs! Yikes! They are at risk from US ! (Not really, so far the infected dog survived!) ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/26 "2020-03-19T13:03:29Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > Thanks a lot for the informative answer. There has been great answers under this thread and I am truly thankful to everyone. 🙂 🙂 > I personally have a lot of affection for all kinds of animals out there and I was sad to see a thread like this on Reddit. > > What I don’t understand that: > > 1.) Why are you letting a sigh? > 2-) You are saying “once again”. When did I last time confuse being squicked out with being in any way dangerous? I don’t remember. 😕 Sorry. I meant the plural you. Many many people confuse disgust or fear (very subjective and culturally mediated) with actual danger of … anything at all. I sigh because I have written versions of that post for spiders general insect life non-venomous snakes pet rats and many activities to do with livestock which apparently disgust and/or frighten most Americans unless we are talking about baby animals. It’s not you personally. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/27 "2020-03-19T13:07:31Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > [The 10 Health Benefits Of Dogs (And One Health Risk)](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj6oYWRh5voAhXVFjQIHWyMAL4QFjACegQIAxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fthe-10-health-benefits-of-dogs-and-one-health-risk_n_57dad1b8e4b04a1497b2f5a0&usg=AOvVaw3rsun1LYnv7bNU1O_Y8Ik8) > > [It’s Official: Dog Owners Live Longer, Healthier Lives](https://time.com/5028171/health-benefits-owning-dog/) > > I would very much like to see well performed studies showing our friendly furry ones and their assorted individual biomes acting as immune suppresors. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Things like thisconvince me that we’re not dealing with a paragon of logic and good information here. The possible harm to dogs from chocolate has nothing to do with human “germs.” Andthe _number_ of “germs and bacteria” isn’t particularly relevant; it’s their effect on our health. > > If these sorts of claims were valid, we’d see evidence that people with dogs were less healthy than those without. Yet, as far as I’ve been able to find, the opposite seems to be true. > > [Pets are good for your health, and we have the studies to prove it](https://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/11-studies-that-prove-pets-are-good-your-health) > > [It’s Official: Dog Owners Live Longer, Healthier Lives](https://time.com/5028171/health-benefits-owning-dog/) > > [Having a dog can help your heart — literally](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart--literally) > > [The 10 Health Benefits Of Dogs (And One Health Risk)](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-10-health-benefits-of-dogs-and-one-health-risk_n_57dad1b8e4b04a1497b2f5a0) > ETA: Looks like **Alpha Twit** found some of the same links I did. 🙂 Thank you for the informative links. My own experience would have told me immediately that the subreddit cited by the OP was wrong and in fact the opposite of the truth, but it’s nice to have scientific backing. To begin with, dogs are psychologically beneficial because they provide attention, love, and affection – that’s why therapy dogs exist, and they’re not just for kids. I know that when I had a dog, I was much more physically active due to having to walk him, and more social in terms of meeting other dog owners on the street or in the park. The “work” of caring for a dog’s needs helps lend an important systematic routine to daily life that might otherwise not exist if one is retired and living alone. It’s no wonder that owning a dog is associated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease – I would venture that it’s a combination of more exercise and lower levels of stress, and the benefits of at least a semi-regular routine. As for germs, one of the counter-factors here is that exposure to germs actually helps strengthen the immune system. Kids brought up in hyper-clean environments often grow up with weakened immune systems and other health issues. OTOH, there are such things as zoonotic diseases – diseases that can pass from dog to human. So it’s important to keep your dog properly vaccinated, given preventative treatment against fleas and ringworm through such products as Sentinel, and keeping him clean through regular brushing and the occasional (not more than once every few months, IMO) bath with dog shampoo, especially if he’s going to sleep on your bed. It’s controversial whether letting a dog sleep with you is a good idea or not, both in terms of physical health and in terms of the psychology of maintaining mastery over the dog. I loved my Bernese Mountain Dog more than anything, and showered him with hugs and kisses and barbecued steaks, but he had his own favorite places to sleep, and none of them were on my bed. He was allowed on a small couch in the family room and lay on it often, but rarely slept there. He preferred a little cubby-hole between my desk and the wall in my bedroom, but would occasionally get up in the night and go over to his other spot, beside my son’s bed in his room. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/28 "2020-03-19T15:00:53Z")
> [@Kovitlac](#): > > Also, various studies have pointed out that people with dogs tend to live longer than those without. Maybe it’s because of exercise, but it still means that any harmful effects are outweighed by the benefits. I don’t know how much influence the extra exercise has. Some studies have shown that people with cats tend to live longer than those without. OK, when it’s a kitten you probably do get more exercise from running around the house yelling, “Get down! You’re a bad kitty! Get away from that!” But once they grow up changing the litter is about as energetic as you get. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/30 "2020-03-19T15:24:08Z")
Spam (axisaspira) reported ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506/31 "2020-03-19T15:36:53Z")
reported ETA: it’s gone already!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dogs-as-pets-really-bad-to-health-as-some-claim/849506.md?page=1)