Around here, we love dogs, and many of us have at least one furry, four-legged friend at home, if not more. We all know our dogs are probably covered in bacteria, just like we are. We know they probably ate something gross outside, or rolled in something that didn’t smell so pleasant. But, we love them anyway. Still, it begs the question, just how much bacteria does a dog carry, and does it affect us in our homes?

It’s probably fair to say that the more people you have in your house, the more bacteria you have. Humans harbor loads of bacteria, living on our skin and in our bodies. We pass it on to everything we touch, including the air around us. So it makes sense that if there are more of us moving around a house, there’s probably more bacteria, right? Does the same hold true for dogs? Do they affect the amount of bacteria in our house?

Researchers at North Carolina State University performed a study to find out what variables affect the microbial ecosystems in our homes, and their findings concluded that dogs do make a difference. They found that households with dogs contain not only more bacteria, but more types of bacteria. They swabbed 9 common surfaces from 40 homes, including pillowcases, TV screens, cutting boards, exterior door frames, and so on.

Based on the types of bacteria they found in some of the homes, they were able to determine if it was a home with a dog. For example, the homes with dogs contained 700 times more soil bacteria that non-dog homes. They also found that TV screens and pillowcases had the most dog-related microbes.

Dogs also carry specific types of bacteria that the researchers were able to identify. Thus, some of the bacteria came from the outdoor environment, such as dogs bringing bacteria from soil into the homes, but some also came from the dogs themselves. So, if you’re a dog owner, is there evidence on your skin? Yes!

But don’t worry dog-lovers. Most microbes are actually beneficial to us, as long as we keep a clean, sanitary environment in our homes. You may not want to open-mouth kiss your dog, but to each his own. Washing your hands after playing with your dog can be a good idea, but don’t stress out about it. Studies have shown that exposure to this additional bacteria can help boost our immune systems. We have co-existed with microbes, well, always, and small exposures to bacteria don’t pose any risk. So don’t worry about fido’s microbes because if anything, it’s improving your health.