By Sam Blanchard Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 14:01 BST, 18 April 2019 | Updated: 14:03 BST, 18 April 2019
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The UK would be less active without man's best friend, research suggests.
Dog owners have been to found to be four times more likely to meet weekly exercise targets than people without one.
Experts found that almost nine in 10 people with pooches get at least the recommended two-and-a-half hours of exercise each week.
Two thirds of them manage this just by walking their dog, the study found.
But this drops to just over six out of 10 among people without the pets.
Having a dog also makes people more likely to exercise in addition to walkies, with higher rates of joggers and runners among owners – but they're less likely to do yoga or pilates.
Scientists at the University of Liverpool found people who have dogs are more likely to exercise even if they're not with their pet at the time