Dog ownership was associated with significantly lower odds of apathy (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.25, 0.97) among community-dwelling older adults, but no association was observed between dog ownership and depressive symptoms.
Dog ownership was reported by a small minority of the study participants.
Apathy and depressive symptoms were highly prevalent in this older adult sample.
Dog ownership was significantly associated with lower odds of apathy after adjustment for covariates.
Dog ownership was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms.
The study design was cross-sectional, limiting causal inference about the relationship between dog ownership and mental health.
This research suggests that among older adults living independently in their communities, owning a dog is linked to lower levels of apathy — a condition characterized by reduced motivation, interest, and emotional engagement. In a study of 722 adults aged 65 and older, those who owned dogs were about half as likely to show high levels of apathy compared to those who did not own dogs, even after accounting for factors like age, sex, body weight, and having multiple health conditions. About one in three participants showed clinically significant levels of either apathy or depressive symptoms, highlighting how common these mental health challenges are in older populations. Interestingly, dog ownership was not associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms, only with apathy. This distinction matters because apathy and depression, while often co-occurring, are different conditions — apathy primarily involves a loss of motivation and initiative, while depression involves persistent low mood and sadness. This research suggests that the daily routines, responsibilities, and companionship associated with dog ownership may specifically help older adults maintain a sense of purpose and engagement with life. Because the study was conducted at a single point in time (cross-sectional design), it cannot prove that owning a dog causes lower apathy — it is also possible that less apathetic individuals are more likely to own dogs in the first place. Nevertheless, these findings point to a potentially meaningful relationship between pet ownership and a specific dimension of mental health in older adults, and may inform future research and community health strategies aimed at supporting healthy aging.
Kuroda Y, Abe T, Tsujimoto T, Yamasaki M, Isomura M, Nagai A. (2026). Association between dog ownership and mental health among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1835505