Scratch’s Great Australian Dog Survey…
The 2022 Great Australian Dog Survey
56% of dogs sleep between their owners’ bed sheets
2 in 5 dogs could be LGBTQIA+
Dog owners are increasingly becoming less interested in having children
MEDIA RELEASE: MELBOURNE, 19 AUGUST 2022: It’s a human’s world and dogs are just living in it - but they’re also sleeping between our bed sheets, keeping us company while we work, earning cash and earning themselves a spot at the pub, the results of the 2022 Great Australian Dog Survey has found.
Scratch, the Aussie dog food company that puts dogs and the planet before profit, surveyed the owners of over 12,700 Aussie dogs to dig up the dirt on attitudes towards our furry friends and their perceived role in society, and the results are in!
THE FINDINGS WE’RE CHASING OUR TAILS OVER
Aussie dog owners (which make up around 40% of the population) are becoming less interested in having kids, with 1 in 3 respondents (37%) desiring children less since becoming a dog owner. This is up from 33% in 2020.
This could be linked to nighttimes being a family affair without adding children into the mix: 65% of dogs sleep in their owners’ bedrooms. Of those, 73% are allowed on the bed, and 56% sleep in the sheets.
Dogs truly are a key part of Aussie families. Half of all dog owners (50%) say it’s been harder to cope with losing their dog than it has been when losing a human. Given how much they mean to us, it’s no surprise that we don’t agree with current government legislation labelling dogs as objects. 8 in 10 Aussies believe that dogs deserve to be seen as more than ‘property’ by Australian law.
If that wasn’t enough to bark about, 2 in 5 dog owners (40%) believe their dogs might even be a part of the LGBTQIA+ family.
Scratch co-founder and CEO, Mike Halligan, said, “We did our first Great Aussie Dog Survey in 2020, and we couldn’t believe the results. A lot has changed in society since then so we wanted to follow up and find out how the lives of Aussie dogs have changed. The results have left us laughing, crying and scratching our heads!”
THE BREAKDOWN - MONEY, SAVINGS AND WORK
Aussies are happy to splash cash on their pups. Three quarters (74%) purchased their dog for over $1000.
The majority of dog owners (61%) are spending anywhere between $1,000 to $4,000 on their dogs per year, and 73% of owners buy their dogs new toys at least every two months. More than half of all dog owners would take a pay cut if it meant spending more time with their furry friends, and one in three (35%) have negotiated to work from home in order to spend more time with their pooches - 52% of respondents cite that their workplace isn’t dog-friendly.
Dog owners want to be able to live comfortably with their dogs. 78% say they would spend more on renting or buying property so that their dwelling suits their dog’s needs. On that, 1 in 5 Aussies (22%) have lied to their landlord about their furry friend.
Dogs can be money makers too, with 7% making money or being compensated for their presence on social media. While the percentage may be small, 7% of the sample equates to 900 dogs - that’s a lot of income-earning doggos!
TRAVEL, HOLIDAYS AND LEISURE
Respondents cited the biggest difficulty of dog ownership as finding a dog-sitter when going away (37%), and 83% said their dogs make it harder to holiday.
2 in 3 dog owners (66%) would like the opportunity to be able to take their dog on an overseas holiday with them, and when it comes to moving overseas to live, it’s a no-brainer: 95% of owners will pay the costs to move their furry friends overseas with them. The majority (76%) of dog owners believe the time has come for dogs to be allowed on planes (40% unmuzzled/uncaged; 36% with a muzzle and/or cage).
Aussies want their dogs to play a part in their social lives, too. 71% of respondents are in favour of dogs being allowed inside cafes and pubs, and 66% of dogs have dog friends they go to visit.
Dogs are also having an impact on the dating lives of single Aussies. 1 in 3 respondents (36%) say dating has become more difficult since getting a dog.
BUYING AND RAISING A DOG
When asked about how difficult it is to raise a dog, Aussies are on the fence: 42% claim that it’s easy, and 39% claim that it’s hard.
The overwhelming majority agree that being a good pet parent is important, with 9 in 10 respondents believing that first-time dog owners should have mandatory education. This comes as 1 in 3 (36%) regret not training their dog more. Managing behavioural issues and training was cited as the second biggest difficulty associated with being a dog owner.
The most common place Aussies found their dogs in 2022 was a breeder (51%), followed by adoption (22%), online (11%) and friends (10%).
In theory, Aussies are on board with adopting their next pupper: 83% would consider adoption for their next furry friend. However in practice, only 22% adopted their dog from a rescue organisation in 2022, down from 30% in 2020.
When it comes to dog breeds, Aussies are most partial to the cavoodle, with ‘doodle’ breeds and retriever breeds dominating the top ten list.
The top ten dog breeds in Australia in 2022 (in order of popularity):
1. Cavoodle
2. Labrador Retriever
3. Greyhound
4. Border Collie
5. Golden Retriever
6. Goldendoodle
7. Labradoodle
8. German Shepherd
9. English Staffordshire Bull Terrier
10. French Bulldog
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON DOGS
From the respondents who purchased their pooch in the last 0-2 years, 1 in 3 (36%) claim that COVID-19 influenced their decision. Of those, 12% sometimes regret this decision.
Like their human counterparts, COVID has had an impact on the mental health of our dogs, with 25% of owners saying their dog’s anxiety has increased since the onset of the pandemic. Over half of all Aussie dogs currently experience anxiety (52%), and 1 in 5 experience anxiety ‘quite a bit’.
The pandemic has, however, afforded Aussies more time with their dogs. In 2020 only 22% of respondents spent all day with their dogs. Fast forward to 2022 and that number has jumped to 44%.
HEALTH + NUTRITION
It turns out Aussies think their dogs are in better shape than humans: 9 in 10 dog owners believe their dog is a healthy weight for their size.
They’re not immune to illnesses, though. Half of all owners (51%) have had to make changes to their dog’s food at least once due to sickness.
As for their appetite, it’s a 50/50 split: half of all respondents believe their dogs like variety in their diet (53%), but half believe they aren’t fussed or like eating the same food every day (47%). Treats are a winner, with 97% of dogs being fed dog treats regularly.
Owners are, however, skeptical about what they’re putting in their dogs’ mouths. Only 31% of them trust dog food labels.
Scratch, which makes and delivers fresh and healthy dry food for dogs, is on a mission to change the pet food industry for the better.
“We weren’t surprised by the lack of trust in pet food brands. The lack of transparency that exists in the industry is something we’re working to shed light on to improve the health of Aussie dogs. With so many pet owners aware that diet can have a direct impact on the health of their dogs, it’s concerning that Scratch is the only Australian pet food company currently disclosing ingredient quantities on labeling,” commented Halligan.
“Our number one priority is giving the dogs of Australia the best quality of life we possibly can, so we’re proud to roll out initiatives like the Great Aussie Dog Survey to help us learn from owners what else we can do for their dogs. Dogs truly are a human’s best friend, and are clearly worth the investment - after all, 97% of respondents said their dog has had a huge or positive impact on their lives” he concluded.
To view the full list of results from the 2022 Great Australian Dog Survey, and learn more about Scratch Dog Food, visit www.scratchpetfood.com.au/australian-dog-survey