Going for walks with the dog also led to a reduced fear of falling among people over the age of 60.
The latest research comes from the The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin, and looked at more than 4,100 people over 60.
One in three people in Ireland over 70 fall every year and one in eight present to an emergency department annually due to fall.
Researchers said that until now, there had been little investigation of the suggestion that dog-walking may protect against falls and mobility problems later in life.
“Falls are the most frequent reason older people are admitted to hospital and the most common cause of accidental death in later life. Falls are strongly associated with fractures including hip fractures, subsequent loss of independence, increased healthcare use, admission to…