Study: Pet owners will bail on friends to hang out with their dog

If you've ever bailed on a social commitment to spend time with your four-legged friend, you're not alone.

Researchers surveyed 2,000 American dog owners, finding that more than half of them admitted to flaking on spending time with others humans in favor of staying home with their pet.

And while relationships between humans can be trying at times, more than 80 percent of those surveyed said that time spent with their dog improved their mental and emotional health. Respondents also credited their dog with getting them through difficult life events like a breakup or the death of a loved one.

In fact, nearly 90 percent said that their dog "made them a better person." Dog owners also credited Fido with encouraging them to be more active and helping them feel safer.

The survey was funded by Link AKC, a company that produces a smart collar for dogs.

"People consider their dogs members of their family and are looking for ways to connect and interact with them on a deeper level," Link AKC chief marketing officer Herbie Calves said of the research.