Americans love their dogs, so much so that new research shows 84% of dog parents consider their pup to be their child. And three in four think their dog is the “main character” of their family.
According to the poll of 2-thousand dog owners:
- After a stressful day, twice as many think of their dog before anyone else, even their partner (41% versus 19%).
- When it comes to rules for their dog, 70% are against dogs at the dinner table and 56% frown upon the idea of using a stroller for their dog, even though they see them as their kid.
- But 70% feel it’s totally acceptable for dogs to be on the couch and 67% are fine with them on the bed.
- More than half (56%) of respondents say their dog is allowed to lick their face, while 44% don’t allow it.
- Dog parents spend an average of $612.10 a year on things for their dog, while one in seven splurge on more than $1,000 of presents for their pup in a year.
- Close to half (48%) say they’d rather cut some of their own expenses than spend less on their dog.
- Dog moms and dads say their favorite ways to spoil their pet is with premium food and treats (62%), birthday presents (40%) and even clothes (21%).
- The average person feeds their dog table scraps four times a week, and one in six do it daily.
- While 62% stick to a strict schedule for giving their dog meals, they’re more flexible with giving treats, and going outside, and only 31% say their dog has an official bedtime, which is about 9:30 p.m. on average.
- But the dogs are in charge in some households, as 40% say their pooch tends to be moody if they don’t get to do what they expect.
Source: SWNS Digital