It is well documented that owning a dog boosts a person's wellbeing.
But the health benefits of sharing your life with a furry friend, may not end there.
A team of scientists believe the microbes lurking in a dog's gut could have a probiotic effect on the owners' body.
And to determine if their suspicions are true, the researchers at the University of Arizona, are recruiting volunteers to take part in a study to test the theory.
The research will focus specifically on the effect dogs have on the health of older people.
A team of scientists at the University of Arizona believe the microbes living in a dog's gut may be good for their owners' health. They are recruiting volunteers to take part in their study to test the theory
Kim Kelly, an anthropology doctoral student, and one of the lead researchers, said: 'We've co-evolved with dogs over the millennia, but nobody really understands what it is about this dog-human relationship that makes us feel good about being around dogs.
'Is it just that they're fuzzy and we like to pet them, or is there something else going on under the skin?
'The question really is, has the relationship between dogs and humans gotten under the skin?
'And we believe it has.'
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