Dog lovers spend £36M on pets' birthdays

British dog lovers spend more than £36 million a year to pamper their pooches on their birthdays, according to new research.

One-in-10 owners put celebrating their dog's birthday on a par with celebrating their child's - and 38 per cent say that they love their dog more than some of their relatives.

The study, carried out by Direct Line Pet Insurance, found that nearly a third of dog owners celebrate their dog's birthday every year, spending an average of £16.05 to make the occasion special.

Some 70 per cent of those buy their dog a present, with toys accounting for 81 per cent of the gifts handed out, while 15 per cent of owners take their dog for a special walk, deliberately changing the normal route, eight per cent splash out on a grooming sessions and 10 per cent hand over a card.

A third of those who celebrate the day admit to giving their dog a birthday kiss, 18 per cent sing Happy Birthday, 11 per cent buy a cake and six per cent hold a party to mark the occasion.

Asked why they laid on the treats, 23 per cent explained that they got so much pleasure from their pet that they felt it only proper to give something in return.

The total amount spent on the birthdays is estimated at £36,141,390.

The study, carried out by YouGov, interviewed 1,605 dog owners to compile their results.

Chris Price, head of Direct Line Pet Insurance, said: "Treating our dogs to the same pleasures we enjoy on our birthday shows just how much a nation of dog lovers we are.

"Some pleasures such as special extra long walkies even benefit the overall well being of the dog.

"Although owners are acting in good faith they do need to be careful not to over-indulge their dog with sweet treats that are bad for them since this could lead to health problems and expensive visits to the vets."

Reference: www.lse.co.uk

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