The influence of dog ownership in childhood on the sociality of elderly Japanese men.

In Japan, care for the elderly has been a serious social issue. The relationship between dog ownership and health of the elderly has attracted considerable attention, but it is still unclear whether dog ownership affects the health of owners. In this study, we focused on the experiences of dog ownership in the past. The questionnaire survey was conducted targeting elderly Japanese men and asking them to clarify whether the experience of dog ownership in the past influences their current mental and physical health. To examine the characteristics of the experience of dog ownership, we divided past dog owners by a hierarchical cluster analysis using the variables related to the experiences of dog ownership. We added the 'never owned a dog' group to the three groups that were provided by the cluster analysis, and conducted analysis of variance and multiple linear regression analysis using the variables of physical and mental health. The results showed that the group that owned their first dog at an early age and owned more dogs later scored higher in the companionship and social support scales. These results suggested that the experiences of dog ownership in childhood were related to the sociality of older men, such as the enhancement of their companionship with others.