Having a dog can boost teenagers’ mental health, say scientists

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/03/pet-dog-improve-teenager-mental-health-study

227 points · 13 comments · view on lemmy.world

13 Comments

Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works · 39 pts · 252d (1 reply)

Having a dog boosts everyone's mental health. Unfortunately, having a dog is only possible for people with the right living conditions, free time and disposable income. Like so much in our society, the things that make us healthier, happier people are unavailable to the people that need them most.

scarabic@lemmy.world · -3 pts · 251d

Seems to me that plenty of homeless people have dogs.

desmosthenes@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 252d (6 replies)

anyone’s mental health

NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk · 9 pts · 252d (1 reply)

My cats beg to differ! :)

desmosthenes@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 252d

lol mine just use me

LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 252d (3 replies)

Unless allergic to pet dander or suffers PTSD from previous a dog attack. Or isn't home often enough to properly take care of a dog & make sure the dog isn't neglected.

lightsblinken@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 251d (1 reply)

agree. almost everything has caveats though.. most people would agree that "its good to drink plenty of water" ... but you can jump in with "but not if you're drowning". most statements are summarised to give the gist, people need to bring their own experience and situation to bear.

LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 251d

It's good to drink water, but not if you're drowning."

~ Aristotle

desmosthenes@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 252d

almost*

SlartyBartFast@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 251d

This article written by dog

HurlingDurling@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 252d

If only they would remember its their responsibility to feed and walk them after a month of having a dog. /jk

MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 251d (1 reply)

No shit Sherlock.

scarabic@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 251d

If you click on the article, what’s more interesting is how this might be occurring: through the shared microbiome. If there is such a mechanism to it, that’s definitely news.