You may have already heard that having your iPhone tethered to your hand is bad for your health, but new research suggests that your smartphone obsession could be hurting your pets, too, as reported by The Daily Mail.
The study, released by new UK campaign group Digital Detox, contained a litany of frightening statistics and findings, most remarkably that adults spend an average of 9 hours and 30 minutes a day on screens—more time than they are asleep.
What’s more, The Daily Mail spoke to registered veterinary nurse Amber Pickworth, who said that our smartphone obsession is having a negative effect on our furry friends. smartphone. “You might think you’re spending quality time with your animal when you take it for a walk, but the minute the phone comes out, the dynamic changes without you even realizing it,” Pickworth says. “I’d urge people to put away their phones when they’re with their dogs.”
While it may seem extreme to stash all your gadgets, Pickworth cites an old adage. “A dog might be a small part of your world, but you’re their entire world.” And if you’re not giving your pets feedback, they panic because they do not understand why you are not responding.
Your pet “needs reassurance from you to say either ‘yes it’s okay’, or ‘no, stay here’. If you don’t provide that input you’re making it anxious and also asking for behavior issues in the long term,” says Pickford.
Plus, spending time with your dog pretty much trumps any kind of screen time.
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