Steve Dale shares a new study published in the journal iScience, showing that raising dogs has beneficial effects, especially for adolescents, and these effects may be mediated through symbiosis with microorganisms. Researchers found that a person’s dog-owning status at age 13 could predict their future mental health and behavioral scores. Adolescents from homes with a dog had fewer social problems than those without a dog at home.
Source: Steve Dale Pet World, December 6, 2025. Link.
It turns out when we live with dogs – at any age – there is a surprising sharing of microbiomes with our dogs.”
Image: Link.