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　　Some people take lots of exercise．Others keep to strict diets．But according to recent research, the best way to live a long and happy life is simple．

　　“We have known for many years that the company of a pet can increase well being in a number of ways, ”says Dr．Bonnie Beaver, an animal behavior specialist at Texas University．“For example, the survival rate of heart attack victims with pets are much greater than those of people without pets．”

　　According to Dr．Beaver, pet owners are less likely to need a doctor．They recover more quickly when they do get ill．They have lower blood pressure, take more exercise and are more socially active．

　　Above all, they are happier．Seventy percent of the families Dr．Beaver surveyed said that their family environment was happier after they get a pet．And this is what Dr．Beaver and other researchers are trying to achieve．They want to find a scientific link between human happiness and a long life．

　　There is no final answer to this question yet, but it seems to be something to do with emotional ties．People with someone or something to love live longer．“There are many forms of animal human relationship and some are very helpful,” says Dr．Beaver．It seems that the more lovely an animal is, the more it benefits our health．As the saying goes, “if you want to be loved, get a dog”．

　　Pet ownership benefits men and women equally．Other life experiences divide the sexes．“Women are more sensitive to bad marriages than their husbands because they work harder at their relationships, ” says Dr．Janice Glaser of Ohio State University．

　　The message seems to be that a woman is better off with a good dog than a bad husband．Yet in some ways, men are similar to dogs．They like getting dirty and making a mess．They forget birthdays．They can disappear for days on end．How can they be better trained?