I'm on my 3rd dog as an adult. I've concluded I'm a dog person that just enjoys having a dog. Yes the dog is more work however the dog keeps me active in ways I would not be without the dog.
My elderly parents were without a dog for a short while. I helped them get another dog and found the dog to be very therapeutic for them. Again the dog forces them to be active in ways they would not. The beauty in there case is they enjoy the dog but don't truly grasp how beneficial the dog is for their physical and mental health. The dog is secretly keeping them more active by design.