Dog Longevity Survey Part II. How Important is Physical Contact to Longevity?

Do you find it interesting that overwhelming majority of people who took the survey consider physical contact extremely important to longevity? The results would make physical contact the second most important thing to a dog's longevity after weight management.

Extremely important	76.67%
Important	20.00%
Somewhat important	3.33%
Not important	0.00%
I don't know	0.00%
Other	0.00%

Is physical contact really that crucial?

I roughly touched on one type of physical contact, grooming, and its impact on longevity in the last article. There is the direct benefit of being able to detect any parasites, abnormalities or pain. There is the indirect benefit of bonding and release of happy hormones. Physical contact promotes trust and bonding.

Photo Adrianna Calvo

In humans, physical contact lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Here is something interesting - according to some research, physical contact boosts the immune system. Does it have the same benefit for dogs? No studies seem to have been done into the matter. The assumption would be that it might provide similar benefits whether it is the physical aspect, or the social contact aspect.

Of course, then there are special types of physical contact, such as massage, acupressure or T-Touch. Those have very clear and specific benefits.

What do you think? 

Is physical contact beneficial to your dog and why? And how much of that should be left for your dog to decide?

Related articles:
Dog Longevity Survey Part I
Dog Longevity Survey Part II
Dog Longevity Survey Part I Results
How Important Is Weight Management for Longevity?

How Important Is Diet for Longevity?
How Important Is Exercise for Longevity?
How Important Is Mental Stimulation for Longevity?
How Important Is Dental Health for Longevity?
How Important Is Vaccination for Longevity?
How Important Is Spay and Neuter for Longevity?
How Important Is Parasite Prevention and Screening for Longevity?
How Important Are Wellness Exams for Longevity?
How Important Is Disease and Injury Prevention for Longevity?
Dog Longevity Survey Part II Results
Dog Longevity Survey Part II: How Important are Supplements to Longevity?
Dog Longevity Survey Part II: How Important is Training to Longevity?
Dog Longevity Survey Part II. How Important is Socialization to Longevity?
Dog Longevity Survey Part II. How Important is Stress Reduction to Longevity?
Dog Longevity Survey Part II. How Important is Grooming to Longevity?