A dog truly is a man’s (or woman’s!) best friend.
Not only do they quickly become a member of the family, but we’d do anything for them–right from the day they set foot into our home.
But do we really understand our dogs?
In this guide, we’re sharing 25+ dog statistics you should know, including:
- Dog ownership statistics
- The costs of owning a dog
- Dog behaviour
- The most common dog breeds in the UK
- Dog health statistics
- Traveling with dogs
Click the links above to jump to a specific section, or continue scrolling to read all 20+ of our dog statistics.
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Dog Ownership Statistics 🐕
Thinking about owning a dog? Here are a handful of dog statistics you’ll need to know if you’re considering owning a furry friend:
- Almost a quarter of adults in the UK own at least one dog, with the entire country estimated to have over 8.9 million dogs
- Over 90% of pet owners in the UK say that owning a pet makes them feel happy, and 88% feel that pet ownership improves their overall quality of life
- 21% of pet owners have wanted a pet since childhood
- 41% of dog owners speak to their pet more than their partner
- Some 42% of pet owners have lied to their boss about being ill when it was actually a pet they were looking after!
- 28% of dog owners got their pet from a breeder of one specific breed. The second-most-common place to find dogs is a rescue or rehoming shelter (22%), followed by a private seller (20%)
- Less than half of UK dog owners walk their dog on a daily basis.
- 70% of dog owners say that walking their pet made them happier. Some 93% also said their dog was less stressed after a walk.
Costs of Owning a Dog 🐶
Although dogs are fantastic companions, they can be expensive to keep. Here are some statistics on how much it costs to own a dog in the UK:
- Dog owners spend £240 per month on their pet, with a high proportion on this expense going on dog food, at around £60.
- 12% of owners expect the lifetime cost of their dog to be over £10,000, but PSDA estimate it’s closer to £11,750
- 25% of pet owners buy their pets birthday presents, and 42% spoil pets with treats even though their budgets are tight
Dog Behaviour 🐩
Does your home life suit owning a dog? Here are some dog statistics on their behavior which might help to evaluate whether you’re able to handle a dog:
- 49% of owners say that their dog shows behavioural signs of fear when they hear loud noises (prevent this from happening by socialising your puppy as soon as you bring them home)
- 5% of owners said their dog had shown aggression towards unfamiliar people
- 45% of owners leave their dogs every day, and 28% dogs are left for over four hours
- A dog’s sense of smell is 1,000,000 times better than humans.
The Most Popular Dog Breeds in the UK 🐾
Here are the 10 most popular dog breeds for 2018 in the UK, ranked by their number of registrations:
- French Bulldog (36,785)
- Labrador Retriever (36,526)
- Cocker Spaniel (23,927)
- Bulldog (10,665)
- English Springer Spaniel (10,152)
- Pug (9,742)
- Golden Retriever (7,794)
- German Shepherd (7,299)
- Daschund (7,008)
- Miniature Schnauzer (5,535)
Dog Health Statistics 🏥
As we mentioned earlier, owning a dog can be expensive. Here are some statistics on dog health–including vet bills, common health problems, and the cost of pet insurance:
- 94% of owners take their pet for regular checkups
- Vomiting and diarrhea are routinely amongst the most common reasons that pets are brought to the veterinarian for emergency evaluation
- Pet insurers paid out a record £775 million in vet bills for sick or injured animals in 2017
- A general practice consultation with a vet typically costs about £60
- It costs between £99 and £200 to spay or neuter a dog
Dog Travel Statistics ✈️
Taking your dog into the big wide world is exciting. But what happens when they’ve exhausted the local park? Taking your dog to travel with you could be a great idea, as these statistics show:
- According to TripAdvisor, 52% of owners said they would stay only at pet-friendly locations
- 56% of dog owners transport their pet by car at least once a month
- When travelling by car, 13.8% of pets are enclosed in a secured carrier or crate in the car, 33.3% use a safety harness or seat belt, and 7.9% rely on a pet barrier
- 1 in every 10 drivers let their dog sit in the front passenger seat!
- Transporting your pet without a dog car seat, seat belt, harness or crate could lead to 9 points on your license and a fine of up to £2,500
- Only 6% of pets are taken on a plane each year
- 37% of pet owners have chosen not to travel so they could stay home with their dog
Surprised by any of these dog statistics?
As you can see, the cost of owning a dog in the UK can be quite high when you factor-in vet, health, and travel costs.
…But as a dog owner and lover of all furry friends, they’re definitely worth it!