Mabel the Rescue Dog

3 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)

Even though the saying is that “dogs are a man’s best friend”, many people assume that women are bigger dog lovers than men. As a dog, it’s hard for me to tell, but I can agree that most girls seem more “dog crazy” than boys. However, a recent study actually proved that this common assumption is wrong!

The Survey Results

A survey conducted by Volvo Car USA and the Harris Poll asked questions to find out who pampers their dog the most. The surprising results revealed that millennial men are the most likely to pamper their pups over everyone else surveyed! I was very surprised when I saw this.

The survey showed that 39% of men have bought a special food, such as organic food, for their dogs. Surprisingly, only 29% of millennial women would do the same. Then, only 27% of everyone surveyed said that they fed their dog special food.

Also, men are more likely to do other special things for their dogs too, such as take them to daycare or throw them parties. The poll results proved that yet again, millennial men scored the highest, revealing that 30% of them throw birthday parties for their dogs. Only 17% of millennial women admitted to doing the same.

While dog dads seemed to be the stars of dog pampering, there was one category that women scored much higher in. Millennial women were more than twice as likely to create an Instagram account for their dog than anyone else. It’s no surprise, considering how popular dog social media is these days.

Should Humans Spoil Their Dogs?

Over the years, dog pampering has become more and more normal. Back in 1996, Americans spent $21 billion a year on dogs. Today, they spend about $73 billion a year on dogs. I love when Molly buys stuff for me, but that number sounds a little too crazy!

For some dog supplies, it’s good to spend more money. For example, buying better quality food is a great way to pamper your pup. In fact, I don’t even think I’d call it pampering because giving your dog a healthy diet is an essential part of their care.

However, there are other things that dog parents probably spend a little too much money on. For example, dog clothes, personalized birthday cakes, and overly expensive beds can be a bit much. Like I said, I love special dog supplies, but I would be just as happy with a normal treat for my birthday than a special cake. I don’t need anything extravagant, and I’m sure most dogs would agree with me.

Normally, I wouldn’t care if people pamper their dogs. But the only problem is that humans are spending too much money on their own dogs while there are dogs out there without basic needs. Many dogs are dying in shelters because there aren’t enough donations, so it kind of puts it into perspective for me.

Why spend money on a fancy rain jacket for your dog when you could use that money to feed a shelter dog? Or you could save some money on party supplies to help a dog find a home. I have no problem with humans spoiling dogs, but maybe they should try to help the dogs who aren’t as fortunate first. It’s great that you love your dog, but you should also love ALL dogs.

So, next time you want to pamper your dog, please ask yourself if it’s necessary. If your dog would be just as content with a more reasonably priced product, then you should save the money and use it to help other dogs in need. There are so many dogs out there that need help, so humans can’t turn our backs on them.

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