Why you SHOULD teach an old dog new tricks: It protects your pet from dementia, study suggests

Anyone who has had a dog knows how difficult it is to watch them age.

But researchers have now discovered that social enrichment can bring benefits to the brains of aging dogs, suggesting that it really is a good idea to teach an old dog new tricks.

The scientists used MRI scans to measure changes in the brain structure of 43 middle-aged beagles over three years.

During this time, the dogs were exercised daily, played with a variety of different toys, and were allowed to “free play” with other dogs for 30 minutes per day.

The analysis revealed that the volume of the hippocampus (the brain region linked to cognition) increased in all dogs at an average rate of 1.74 percent per year.

This is in contrast to previous studies with beagles, which showed that the volume of this area of ​​the brain typically decreases over time.

The researchers, from the University of Kentucky and the University of California, published their findings in The Journal of Neuroscience.

They said their discovery suggests that, even for middle-aged dogs, social enrichment can be beneficial for their brain health.

“Surprisingly, the hippocampus increased in volume in all dogs,” they wrote.

‘We argue that these increases can be attributed to the high levels of behavioral enrichment in the present study that included social interaction, exploration, physical exercise and sensory stimulation, all of which are known to induce a number of neurobiological changes.

“Therefore, we can conclude that adopting a dog and offering it a loving home even when it is middle-aged can improve its longevity and benefit its health in old age.

“It doesn’t hurt to take this as helpful pet care advice…playing with dogs can be beneficial for their brain health.”

The researchers added that age-related brain changes and cognitive decline are similar between dogs and people.

Therefore, elderly owners can also see the benefits of playing with their dogs.