The association between dog ownership or dog walking and fitness or weight status in childhood.

Background: Health benefits of dog walking are established in adults: dog owners are on average more physically active, and those walking their dogs regularly have lower weight status than those who do not. However, there has been little research on children.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between dog ownership or dog walking and childhood fitness or weight status.

A cross-sectional study of frequency and factors associated with dog walking in 9-10 year old children in Liverpool, UK.

Background: Owning a pet dog could potentially improve child health through encouraging participation in physical activity, through dog walking. However, evidence to support this is limited and conflicting. In particular, little is known about children's participation in dog walking and factors that may be associated with this.

Pet ownership, dog types and attachment to pets in 9-10 year old children in Liverpool, UK.

Background: Little is known about ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic differences in childhood ownership and attitudes to pets. The objective of this study was to describe the factors associated with living with different pet types, as well as factors that may influence the intensity of relationship or 'attachment' that children have to their pet. Data were collected using a survey of 1021 9-10 year old primary school children in a deprived area of the city of Liverpool, UK.

Is childhood obesity influenced by dog ownership? No cross-sectional or longitudinal evidence.

Objective: To examine whether dog ownership is associated with lower risk of childhood obesity.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 7,759 children at age 7 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in the UK. In addition, longitudinal analyses were conducted between age 7 and 9 years.