Have dogs become women's best friend?

The Kennel Club (KC) has revealed that its figures show women own twice as many dogs as men.

Over 40 per cent of all KC registered dogs are registered solely to women, whereas only around 20 per cent are registered to men. The KC's research shows that women are bigger dog lovers too.

Eighty per cent of female owners said their dogs would lavish them with love and attention when out and about, compared to only half that said their partners would.

Furthermore, two in five women said that having a dog is a happy alternative to having children, with dogs fitting in more easily with their lifestyles. This is reflected by fact that women are more likely to own toy breeds, such as chihuahuas and pugs.

KC Secretary Caroline Kisko said: "Dogs have long been known as man’s best friend, but it appears that this is no longer the case with women now far more likely to own a dog, according to our research.



“Different factors, such as the recent ‘furkids’ phenomenon and the trend for toy dogs, driven by celebrity culture, may explain why women are choosing to be in the company of dogs more so than men."

The figures come ahead of this weekend's (November 10-11) Discover Dogs event.



“We would challenge men to come along to Discover Dogs at Earls Court this weekend to find out more about the many wonderful breeds of dog that would be perfectly suited to their lifestyles,” added Caroline.