"Dog ownership has increased dramatically in many western countries. For example, in the UK there has been an increase from around 8.3 million in 2011 to 13.5 million in 2025. That means that approximately 29% of UK adults own a dog! At least partially this increasing trend of owning a dog is linked to millennials being more likely to have children later in life."
"There is evidence that social isolation can be a risk factor for health and mortality. Equally, research clearly shows that friendships and social support act as protective factors for well-being. Dog owners have been proven to talk more to other dog owners and so dogs can be a catalyst for community interaction. Casual exchanges about the dogs such as 'Oh, how lovely she is' may lead to an extended conversation."
Dog ownership has risen substantially in many Western countries, with UK numbers increasing from about 8.3 million in 2011 to 13.5 million in 2025, meaning roughly 29% of UK adults own a dog. Part of the rise links to millennials delaying parenthood, with dogs sometimes serving as parental practice. Dogs function as social catalysts because owners converse more with other owners, prompting community interaction; over 40% of pet owners in Western Australia got to know nearby people through their pet. Dogs provide direct companionship that can reduce loneliness, and physiological benefits of ownership may lower national healthcare costs.
Read at Psychology Today
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