Paws vs. Parenthood: UK’s 13 Million Dogs Signal a Shift in Modern Lifestyles

With an estimated 13 million dogs now living in the UK, a figure that could soon overtake the number of children, the country’s relationship with pet ownership is prompting bigger questions about shifting priorities and lifestyles. 

We spoke to dog behaviourist, Carolyn Menteith of leading dog food subscription brand, Tails.com about what’s really driving the rise in dog ownership, whether we’re humanising dogs more than ever, and what this boom means for how we live, work, and build communities.

Are dogs replacing children, or is that the wrong question?

“Dogs can’t replace children any more than children can replace dogs! They are two very different species and living with one is nothing like living with the other. Children require you to be an adult - whereas with a dog, you can get to be a kid again.

“You get to play, live in the moment, be silly - and have the perfect canine best friend. Dogs definitely change your life totally and negatively affect your bank balance - but nowhere near the same way children do.”

Are we treating dogs more like children, and if so, is that the right approach?

“Unfortunately, we often are. The fabulous thing about dogs is their sheer dogginess! They are not small people in fur coats - they are a totally different species with their own needs and behaviours that are often at odds with the lives people expect them to lead.

“These needs include exercise, social contact - and a whole host of breed or type specific activities that allow individual dogs to thrive and make the perfect companions we know they are.

“Most of the things that people think of as being dog behaviour problems aren’t problems at all - they are just a dog behaving like a dog. Barking, digging, chewing, separation anxiety, guarding food, rolling in smelly stuff - even biting - are all natural dog behaviours and reactions to their environment or the situation we put them in.

“Many problems arise in dogs because they don’t get an outlet for their hardwired canine behaviours. In other words, in a quest to humanise them, they don’t get a chance to be a dog!”

Is there a risk of impulsive ownership as numbers grow?

“The latest news stories don’t focus on dog numbers growing - and certainly not the way they did during the pandemic - but on people having fewer children, waiting longer to have children or choosing not to have children at all.

“The great news is that we get to have that choice - and families mean different things to different people - as we are now seeing from the rise of the DINKWADs (Dual Income No Kids With A Dog) and most of these are from the 25-34 year old age group.

“We live with dogs as part of our families in a way we never have before - and who says that our family members are restricted to the two-legged variety?

“We just have to remember that a dog is never a substitute, and if you treat them as if they are, you are both headed for heartbreak and misery.

“Dogs make the good days better and the bad days bearable. They get you up every morning and make sure you get plenty of exercise. They will give you unconditional love, hang on your every word, and always be pleased to see you - even when they are a teenager! That sounds like the very best of family to me.”