Ahead of National Love Your Pet Day on Saturday, a new survey is looking at how American dog owners show love for their precious pooches.
The survey of 2,000 dog owners, commissioned by JustFoodForDogs and conducted by OnePoll, found that over half of respondents kiss their dog more than they kiss their partner.
The study also found that 72% would gladly put themselves in harm’s way to save their dog, while nearly half admitted they’ve even canceled plans just to stay home with their furry friend.
Among the other findings: 65% of respondents think of spoiling their dog as a form of self-care and 63% said they are better about scheduling their dog’s vet appointments than their own doctor visits.
“The survey results reflect what we see every day: people view their pets as members of their family,” said Shawn Buckley, founder of JustFoodForDogs. “Our pets bring us so much joy, and while they ask for little in return, we only want the best for them, and our actions in caring for them demonstrate just that.”
Here are the top ways in which dog owners show their love to their fur babies, according to the survey:
1. Let them sleep in bed with owner — 49%
2. Get up on the couch — 46%
3. Make them their own dinner with human food — 46%
4. Let them sit on owner’s lap — 44%
5. Let them into the bathroom while owner uses toilet or showers — 34%
6. Purchase custom decorations that look like their dog — 31%
7. Make Christmas/holiday cards that feature the dog — 28%
8. Let them take up more room on the bed/couch than owner — 26%
9. Share water with the dog — 13%