Research from dog food subscription company, tails.com reveals how dog owners in the UK portion up the treats in their household.
The UK is a nation of dog lovers and this study proves that when it comes to dishing out the treats, dogs really do come out on top.
The study found that women were three times as likely to treat their dog than their partner, who would only get treated 13% of the time.
Even the kids get a raw deal when it comes to sniffing out the treats – men were found to be 12% more likely to buy treats for their dog (44%), than treats for their kids (39%).
Men were even less likely to buy treats for their partner, doing so just 18% of the time when compared to the dog who get edible treats 44% of the time.
Where to the UK’s most pampered pooches live?
Dogs living in Wales are likely to be the UK’s most pampered pooches and get fed their favourite foods at over half of mealtimes:
1 Wales – 56%
2 North East – 51%
3 East Anglia – 50%
4 = Midlands – 48%
5 = North West – 48%
Overall, dogs living in the South were less likely to be spoiled with their favourite foods than their northern counterparts, who were fed their favourite dish at 47% of mealtimes every day.
The study also found that British men are going above and beyond for their dogs, with almost half admitting to cooking homemade meals with them, compared to 41% of women.
It also revealed that 4 in 5 UK dog owners had celebrated their dog’s birthday. It found that 80% of UK dog owners have bought or made a dog-friendly birthday cake to mark the occasion.
tails.com head vet Sean McCormack comments: “A study published in the journal, Society and Animals suggests that people are more empathetic towards dogs than fellow humans, which could explain why we’re seeing an increasing number of dog owners going the extra mile when it comes to their dogs happiness and well-being.
“Just like humans, treats should be a healthy part of a balanced diet (especially part of your dog’s training routine). It’s worth remembers that treats still count towards your dog’s daily calorie intake, which can put them on the path to weight gain, so I’ve put together some key advice when it comes to deciding when, how and what to treat your dog with.”
1 Use kibbles from your dog’s daily allowance as treats – so you’re not doubling up on calories.
2 Give healthier options – look for low-calorie dog treats.
3 Know your snacks – some human favourites have too many calories or can even be harmful for dogs.
4 Know your dog’s weight goals – not sure if your dog’s overweight? Here’s how to measure their body condition score.
More advice on dog treats can be found at www.tails.com.
