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Throughout history, dogs have been hailed as man’s hunter, shepherd, watchdog, or warrior, and now there is evidence that the dog really is man’s best friend. A new study from Michigan State University has discovered that people who own a dog enjoy better general health than those who don’t. Why? Because walking Fido is good for you.

The study found that dog owners have a tendency to be more fit that non-dog owners because of their dog-walking routine. Results of the study showed that dog owners who regularly exercise their canine buddies, and themselves in the process, have a 34 percent greater likelihood of reaching the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. The researchers found that among those who own a dog, about two thirds of them walk their four-legged friends regularly.

Lead author, Dr. Matthew Reeves, an associate professor of epidemiology at Michigan State, says that dog ownership may lead to healthier lifestyles. He pointed out, “Walking is the most accessible form of physical activity available to people,” and that “promoting ownership of a dog and dog-walking may be a logical way to increase physical activity.” In addition, he noted that owning a dog can improve a person’s quality of life through social aspects, as well as through human-animal bonding.

The findings of the study also indicated that dog owners who walk their pets get about one hour of additional exercise each week in comparison to those who own dogs but don’t walk them. In addition, the study revealed that those who own larger dogs walk more than those who own small dogs.

For their study, the researchers monitored the exercise habits of 5,900 Michigan residents, among whom 2,170 owned dogs. Findings showed that 60 percent of dog owners walked their pets on a regular basis for at least 10 minutes, meeting the federal criteria for regular moderate or vigorous exercise. In addition, almost half of dog walkers got an average of 30 minutes of exercise per day at least five days weekly, whereas, only about one-third of non-dog owners got that much exercise on a regular basis.

The study also tracked other forms of exercise to help to answer Reeves’ question as to whether dog walking “adds significantly to the amount of exercise you do, or is it simply that it replaces exercise you would have done otherwise?” In general, dog walkers were found to higher levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity overall than non-dog walkers, and were also more likely participate in other leisure-time physical activities such as sports and gardening.

Walking is a “doggone good” form of exercise, and we all need to do more of it. If you’re considering the purchase of a new piece of exercise equipment, maybe you should skip the treadmill and get a dog instead.