When dogs help us overcome laziness

With the arrival of warm weather, for an increasing number of Italians the motivation to get moving again has four paws and a tail. According to the latest research by Rover.com, the largest pet care marketplace, 59% of pet parents consider their dog to be their main ally for physical activity and outdoor wellness. The survey on the link between human and pet, physical wellbeing and outdoor sports highlights how dogs are revolutionising the exercise habits of their owners, pushing even the most sedentary into a more active lifestyle. Although 42% of respondents said they already led a fairly active lifestyle even before their dog arrived, almost half (49%) admitted that adopting a puppy had a major impact on their daily physical activity.

The most surprising fact concerns motivation: for 49% of respondents it is their dog that ensures regularity, acting as a 'biological coach' impossible to ignore. Whether it's a pleading look (for 42 per cent of respondents) or barking at the door (49 per cent) when it's time to go out, a third of pet parents (30 per cent) say that their dog makes them more consistent in their exercise routine. Spring 2026 thus marks a boom in 'pet coaching': the classic walk around the block gives way to power-walking (26%), hiking (26%) and emerging disciplines such as canicross (5%) and structured running sessions (41%).

Six-legged fitness is not only good for the body but also becomes a tool for mental well-being. For 64% of Italians, walking or running with their pet is the most effective way to disconnect from work tensions: a natural digital detox that prompts 36% to forget their smartphone at home or in their pocket and reconnect with the present. Those who, on the other hand, can't give up their mobile phones during exercise, do so mainly to check their sporting progress: 54% of respondents use their device to monitor their training data and only 10% don't get off their phones to make calls, scroll through social media or listen to music. However, the benefits on mood of a walk with one's dog are clear: 49% say they feel more connected to their pet after a shared outdoor workout and 20% even feel less lonely, confirming how the human-animal relationship is an important ally for a person's emotional and social well-being.