What the increase in dog ownership tells us about the society post Covid-19

You may have seen us in the press and media recently talking about the growing number of people adopting dogs under lockdown,

Our research revealed that dogs truly are man’s best friend.  Through the COVID-19 pandemic 500,000 households have turned to our oldest companion to help them through these uncertain times. We have found that people want to be safe at home but also that they are feeling increasingly lonely and want to have animals around for company and love.

Dog ownership is a useful indicator of wider shifts in the economy. Our research shows increased dog ownership is clearly linked to a change in people’s expectations about their future lives. This is all part of a wider movement to make our homes more comfortable and enjoyable as people expect to be out and about less for years to come. This points to a huge shift in the economy even after the pandemic lifts.

This nesting will be part of a much greater reshaping of how we live our lives and what drives the economy. There are implications for all sectors of the economy – for businesses, investors, policy-makers, charities, educators, and legislators.

We have seen a big impact on the demand for pet food and pet toys, there are more people sharing photos of their new pets on social media.  Others are searching for dog training techniques. There will be an increased demand on vets, and for services offered by animal charities. It also says something important about how we expect to be spending more time at home over the next ten years. People have the time now to train their puppies but we also know that dog owners are less likely to renew their gym membership or eat and drink out.”

Odette Forbes is the co-founder of Forbes & Schuster, a dog grooming and dog-walking company, based in Westcott in Buckinghamshire. Their Big Yellow Grooming Bus is a familiar site on the streets of Westcott. Odette says “People who have always wanted dogs and talked about it felt that in lockdown the time was right. I have had an increase in business and, just like a hairdresser, a lot of people have tried to do it themselves and then they come to me to put it right. The dog walking side of our business really collapsed with people and kids at home going for their daily walk. But we are seeing a real increase in people having dogs and wanting to care for them.”

We are also seeing increases in sales in other home improvement areas. In five years’ time when COVID-19 is, hopefully, well behind us we will still have our dogs, new sofas, shed pubs, baking and brewing equipment, and home gyms.

Many families have enjoyed getting puppies as parents see their children distracted from smart devices and occupied in a healthy, wholesome and shared family experience of caring for a dog.

The Dog Economy

There are some specific dog-related growth areas we expect to see:

·        An increase in obedience training

·        Sales boost in smart-home cameras for workers leaving their dogs at home.

·        More pet-friendly offices as a perk to lure people back

·        The growing industry of dog-walkers, groomers, to continue to flourish.

·        An increased interest in camping and pet-friendly holidays in the UK

·        There may also be pressure on local councils to open American-style dog parks to keep the growing number of dogs separate from children’s play.

Behavioural Science

At The Lantern we use Behavioural Science to understand this kind of human behaviour. There's a cognitive effect called the Licensing Effect where humans feel we can indulge ourselves after doing something good or making sacrifice first. We give ourselves a reward. It’s likely people are rewarding themselves with a cute puppy after following all the Covid restrictions.

There is also a tendency to think about the near future over the long-term future that Behavioural Scientists call future discounting. It’s the reason we spend more money on takeaway coffees than investing in our pensions. It’s possible people are getting dogs and that will be fine for now but at some point the owners may have to go back to the office!

We have seen a big uplift in people posting photos on facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This creates something called Behavioural Scientists call Social Proof that as more people get dogs, it becomes more acceptable and more realistic to think about doing it yourself.

And finally there is something Behavioural Scientists call Regret Aversion – where people may think, this is their only chance to get and house-train  a puppy and if they don't do it now they will really regret it!

The Broader Economy

Dog ownership is part of a wider trend towards outdoor exercise as gyms have closed or been less appealing. During lockdown the 'daily walk' was the only out-of-home leisure activity available. Dogs were seen as a great companion for those walks and to make them more interesting.

The move to working from home is hugely important for this trend. Interviews conducted by The Lantern revealed lots of people who worried they couldn't be home all day to do the all-day, months-long work of house training a puppy suddenly were able to do this. We have heard that lots of people really wanted to get a puppy but felt that they would never be able to spend enough time at home to house-train it - and then suddenly they had the opportunity to do so. House-training may have been the big barrier to dog ownership for a lot of people and suddenly that barrier was removed. But they are also clearly making a longer term commitment to be at home more.

Reduced social contact during the pandemic has led to the need for companionship. For many in crowded or busy households, they would have wanted access to space and quiet. But lots of people have been alone or in small families or couples and a dog has hugely helped. We have seen many comments on Reddit posting about getting puppies just to have another living being in the house with them.

There is no evidence of a marked rise in cat ownership.