Dogs may help some people feel less lonely, and the research behind that is mixed. In one eight-month controlled study, people who got a dog became less lonely than people who did not, while a review of 24 studies found an inconsistent picture for loneliness itself. [powell-2019-dog-acquisition] [kretzler-2022-pet-ownership-loneliness] This guide covers what the studies found, how a dog might help, and who one may suit. Our overview of loneliness covers the wider picture.
Do dogs help with loneliness?
Sometimes, and the best controlled evidence is small. The study followed 71 people for eight months in three groups: 17 who got a dog within a month of the start, 29 who delayed getting one until the study ended, and 25 who had no plans to get one. Loneliness was measured on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, which runs from 0 to 60. [powell-2019-dog-acquisition]
Among the people who got a dog, loneliness fell by an estimated 8.4 points at three months and 7.1 points at eight months, and the pattern differed significantly across the groups. [powell-2019-dog-acquisition] Not every measure moved. Positive mood also differed across the groups, but it did not change in the people who got a dog. [powell-2019-dog-acquisition]
Read that with its limits in view. Only 17 people got a dog, and they chose to rather than being assigned, so other differences between the groups could explain part of the gap. The estimate at three months came close to zero, with a 95% confidence interval of -16.6 to -0.3, and the authors called for larger trials. [powell-2019-dog-acquisition]
What does the wider research say?
It is mixed, and it depends on what is measured and when. A systematic review of 24 observational studies found that, in adults, pet owners tended to be less socially isolated. For loneliness, earlier studies found no overall link, while studies from the pandemic period mostly linked pet ownership with less loneliness. Most studies found no difference between dogs, cats and other pets. [kretzler-2022-pet-ownership-loneliness]
The review’s authors suggested the pandemic may have strengthened the link and called for longer-term research. [kretzler-2022-pet-ownership-loneliness] Observational studies show that owning a pet and feeling less lonely go together. They do not show that the pet caused it, because people who are less lonely may be more likely to get a pet in the first place.
| Source | What it looked at | What it found | What limits it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powell and colleagues (2019) | 71 people over eight months, 17 of whom got a dog | Loneliness fell by about 7 to 8 points on a 0 to 60 scale | Small, not randomised, and the estimates are imprecise |
| Kretzler and colleagues (2022) | Review of 24 observational studies | Less social isolation in adult owners, and a mixed picture for loneliness | Observational, so it cannot show cause and effect |
| McNicholas and Collis (2000) | Two studies of social contact with and without a dog | A dog’s presence brought more social contact, mostly from strangers | Measured contact, not loneliness or wellbeing |
How might a dog help with loneliness?
One route is social contact. In two studies, the presence of a dog brought more social contact, mostly from strangers. [mcnicholas-collis-2000-dogs-catalysts] That fits the idea that walking a dog among other people may matter as much as having one at home, though that is our inference and not something the studies tested.
Companionship and a daily routine are other routes people suggest. The studies above did not test those directly, so treat them as plausible and not proven.
Who might a dog suit, and who should wait?
A dog suits people who want one for its own sake and can care for it for years. That is a practical judgement and not a research finding. A dog needs daily time, money for food and vet bills, a home that allows one, and a plan for when you are away or unwell. If any of those is shaky, waiting is a sensible answer.
Please do not get a pet only because you are lonely. Loneliness often needs people as well, and a dog is best treated as an addition to other steps. Our guides to how to deal with loneliness and making friends as an adult cover those steps.
Is a dog the right next step for you?
Tick anything that is true for you right now. This is a planning prompt, not a test, and it produces no diagnosis.
0 of 5 ticked
Most of the practical pieces are in place. Talk to people who own a dog and to a local rescue about what a first year looks like before you decide.
A few of these are in place. Sort out the unticked ones before you decide, and consider fostering or dog-sitting for a friend as a way to find out.
Few of these are in place, so waiting is reasonable. Other routes to regular contact may help sooner, and the loneliness self-assessment can help you see where you stand.
What if you cannot have a pet?
Look for other routes to regular contact with the same people. A group, a class, a regular walk in a place where people gather or volunteering all create repeated, low-pressure contact. Those are our suggestions and not findings from the studies above. Our guide to therapy for loneliness covers what professional help can add when loneliness is persistent.
When to seek help
Speak to a doctor or therapist if loneliness has lasted most days for several weeks, or if it is affecting your sleep, work or mood. Our loneliness self-assessment is a screener and not a diagnosis, and it can help you decide whether to have that conversation.
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline.
How MyFreud can help
Whether a change in your days is easing loneliness is hard to judge from memory. Daily mood tracking in MyFreud shows the pattern across weeks, so you can compare the weeks with more company and the weeks with less. It does not replace the people in your life, or a doctor or therapist.
Download MyFreud and start today: App Store or Google Play.