Just how dog mad are we as a nation? We surveyed the country and found that British pet owners think their pets deserve just as much spoiling as the rest of the family during the festive period.
With Brits spending more on presents for their dog than their friends, and the same amount on their pooches as their family members, we took a closer look at our survey results to bring you all the festive findings.
How many people buy presents for their dog?
Getting down to the nitty gritty facts, you’ll be surprised at just how many people are spending more on their pets than their partners. The majority (33%) of Brits claim they spend between £26-£45 on their pooch - the same amount that Brits spend on a present for their family members.
The majority also claimed they spend between £11-£25 on gifts for their friends (35%) - which is considerably less than their furry counterparts. So, next time you catch yourself piling the dog treats high in the trolley, maybe consider popping some chocolate in there too for your bestie!
And that’s not all - nearly two in ten Brits (16%) also claimed they buy their pooch more presents than their partner – proving we are truly a nation of dog lovers (or dog obsessives!).
How do different areas of the UK spend at Christmas?
When it comes to who is the most obsessed with their dogs, it’s safe to say that South East England takes the (dog) biscuit for spending the most on gifts for their pups, with the average gift costing £25. Unfortunately, Northern Ireland seem to have the least amount of Christmas love and joy to spread with their dogs, with the average present for their dogs costing £18, the lowest amount of any other UK region.
South East England dogs are way more spoiled than any partners or family in that area, with 21% of people in South East England giving their dogs more presents than their partner/family! 18% of people in Wales also give their dogs more presents than their partner/family.
Do men or women favour dogs over their partners?
So, who pampers their pooch more, men or women? On average, men are more likely to pay more for Christmas presents for their dogs, with average presents costing £24, compared to women, who follow closely behind with £22.
What’s more, almost one in five men claim they give their dog more presents than their partner, friends, and family, which is much higher than the 14% of women who do the same – therefore, we can confirm that men spend more on their dogs than women.
Who is more generous at Christmas?
When it comes to generational battles, there are some big differences in the spending habits across generations.
The youngest generation (18 to 24-year-olds) are, in fact, the most likely to spend the most on gifts for their dogs, with an average price of £29 for a Christmas present for their pooch. Almost one in four (24%) youngsters also give their dogs more presents than their partner, friends, or family.
In comparison, those aged 65+ are least likely to spend big money on their pooches at Christmas, with an average spend of £12 on gifts for their dogs. Only 9% of this age group also said they gift their dogs more presents than their partner, family and friends.
Do you agree that Christmas presents for your pets should be just as common as presents for your family and partners? Let us know over on Facebook and Twitter what your thoughts are!
If you are wanting to spoil your festive fur baby this Christmas period, check out the luxury dog-friendly trips we have on offer, or take the whole pack with you to one of our family-friendly cottages!
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.