ArticleBMC public health2016
Understanding how dogs encourage and motivate walking: cross-sectional findings from RESIDE.
Article in BMC public health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Bonded Green Exercise: A One Health Framework for Shared Nature-Based Physical Activity in the Human-Dog Dyad.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Dog and Guardian Relationships: Application of a Dual-Process Actor-"Partner" Interdependence Model to Predict Regular Walking.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Paws on the Street: Neighborhood-Level Concentration of Households with Dogs and Urban Crime.Social forces; a scientific medium of social study and interpretation · 2023Article
- A cross-sectional study of factors associated with regular dog walking and intention to walk the dog.BMC public health · 2022Article
- The COVID-19 pandemic affects owners walking with their dogs.Journal of veterinary behavior : clinical applications and research : official journal of : Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group, International Working Dog Breeding Association · 2022Article
- The Design Challenges for Dog Ownership and Dog Walking in Dense Urban Areas: The Case of Japan.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Polyphony of domestic dog whines and vocal cues to body size.Current zoology · 2021Article
- Examining Obedience Training as a Physical Activity Intervention for Dog Owners: Findings from the Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Clients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to pet nutrition and exercise at a teaching hospital.The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne · 2020Article
- Companion dog acquisition and mental well-being: a community-based three-arm controlled study.BMC public health · 2019Article
- Dog Ownership and Cardiovascular Health: Results From the Kardiovize 2030 Project.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Innovations, quality & outcomes · 2019Article
- Pawsitively sad: pet-owners are more sensitive to negative emotion in animal distress vocalizations.Royal Society open science · 2019Article
- I Walk My Dog Because It Makes Me Happy: A Qualitative Study to Understand Why Dogs Motivate Walking and Improved Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2017Article
- Overweight dogs exercise less frequently and for shorter periods: results of a large online survey of dog owners from the UK.Journal of nutritional science · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMany people live with dogs but not all walk with them regularly. This study examines the demographic and behavioural factors that contribute towards owners reporting having a strong sense of encouragement and motivation to walk provided by their dogs, which we call 'the Lassie effect'.
methodsData was collected from 629 dog owners participating in the RESIDE cross-sectional survey in Perth, Western Australia. Multivariable logistic regression analyses of factors associated with two separate outcome survey items 'Dog encouragement to walk' (how often dog encouraged me to go walking in last month) and 'Dog motivation to walk' (Having a dog makes me walk more).
resultsOwning a larger dog; having an increased level of attachment to dog; knowing dog enjoys going for a walk; believing walking keeps dog healthy; and having high social support from family to go walking, were positively associated with both outcomes 'dog encouragement to walk' and 'dog motivation to walk'. Conversely, reporting the presence of children at home; that the child is the main person who walks with the dog; and perceiving dog-specific barriers to walking with dog daily; were negatively associated with both outcomes. In addition, 'Dog motivation to walk' only was positively associated with a belief walking reduces barking, and negatively with owning a dog that is overweight or a dog that is too old/sick. Reporting that the spouse/partner is main person who walks with the dog was also negatively associated with 'dog motivation to walk', as was increased perceived access to public open spaces with dog-supportive features.
conclusionsThere are both dog and owner factors that are associated with an owner's sense of encouragement, and motivation to walk the dog, which in turn has been found to be associated with dog waking behaviour. These factors may be targeted in future interventions to increase and maintain physical activity levels of both people and pets.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.