Americans are Having Dogs Instead of Babies

In this article for Quartz Magazine, Roberto Ferdman draws a link between declining birth rates in the U.S. and the ever-increasing trend of people having small dogs as companion animals. Using statistics from the United States Department of Health, as well as Pets International and research firm Euromonitor, Ferdman finds that the numbers are rising and falling in tandem, and that demographic data suggests that they may be correlated.

In the United States, birth rates have been declining for a number of years; from 2007 to 2013, the birth rate has declined by a whopping 10%, and that number has come almost exclusively from women aged 15-29, according to the U.S. Dept. of Health. In a similar time period, the ownership of small dogs – in this study defined as weighing no more than 20lbs or 9kg – has nearly doubled, “and is only projected to continue upwards.” While the population of big dogs has remained relatively steady, the small dog population has risen since 1999 to the point that they are now the most popular kind of dog in the U.S., with about 27 million across the country.

While it is interesting that human birth rates have dropped while the small dog population has increased, the fact that these two statistics exist simultaneously could be merely a coincidence. However, Ferdman presents an interesting link in looking at demographics, saying that “one telling sign that the two are not entirely unrelated is that the same age groups that are forgoing motherhood are leading the small dog charge.” He quotes an analyst from research firm Euromonitor that unpacks the data further: “Women are not only having fewer children, but are also getting married later. There are more single and unmarried women in their late 20s and early 30s, which also happens to be the demographic that buys the most small dogs.” With these further details, the link becomes more and more compelling. Ferdman speculates further that “There’s also evidence people are treating their dogs a bit more like little humans these days. Premium dog food, the most expensive kind, has grown by 170% over the past 15 years, and now accounts for 57% of of the overall dog food market.”

What does this potential link tell animal advocates? First and foremost, the increasing prevalence of small dog ownership (and from the statistics, it is unclear if this population is coming from breeding or from shelters) means that companion animal advocates will want to increasingly make small dogs part of their advocacy efforts, especially in urban centers where small dogs are more common. Secondly, the link may indicate that, if the human birth rate continues to decrease, that people may resort more to breeding to try to obtain small dogs, and educating the general public about cruelty inherent in breeding may become more of a priority than ever. Finally, the link may indicate that more study into the similarities between raising human children and dogs is warranted. According to Ferdman, “a study last year found that dogs form bonds of dependency with their owners not unlike the ones babies form with their parents.”

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