A health care expert said that the owner of a dog gets more exercise in the form of walking the dog than some of the people who have a gym membership.

It has been found by researchers that animal lovers exercise their pet twice a day for 24 minutes each time with a total timing of five hours and 38 minutes a week.

On the other hand, those who do not own a dog spend an average of just 1 hour and 20 minutes per week by either going to the gym or by jogging or strolling.

As many as 47% people who do not own pets admit that they do not do any exercise at all.

A spokesperson for pet health care experts Bob Martin said the difference between the two was that going to the gym can feel like a job-to-do whereas dogwalking can be far more enjoyable.

He said, "A couple of short walks a day soon adds up and this research shows that it amounts to more time than people spend in the gym, and whilst gym-goers exercise inside an air- conditioned gym, dog walkers are able to rack up the miles and enjoy fresh air whilst admiring the Great British countryside."