Wednesday 8 June 2011

We do love our dogs! New survey proves it

Doting dog owners are following in the footsteps of celebrity dog lovers, including Yorkshire terrier fan Miley Cyrus, and Paris Hilton, who is rarely seen without her teacup chihuahua Tinkerbell, as nothing is too much trouble for our dogs.

A survey of 2,000 dog owners, conducted for Burgess Supadog Sensitive, a top quality hypoallergenic dog food, reveals a sensitive side when it comes to caring for man and woman's best friend, and the lengths pet owners go to in order to look after their beloved family member.

Dog owners admit buying their pet gifts (62 per cent), taking time off work to be with them when they’re ill (42 per cent), letting them sleep on their bed (36 per cent) and, despite rising electricity costs, leaving on the television or radio to keep them company for a few hours (34 per cent).

Pet pooches are discerning when it comes to their choice of television or radio programme, according to their owners. Almost a quarter (23%) said their dog seemed to have an interest in action programmes on TV, much preferring the genre to Sci-fi (3%) or horror (8%). Dogs are also voting with their paws when it comes to the battle of the TV soaps, dictating what their owners watch. As our softer owners give their dog dibs on the remote control, Eastenders was the chosen canine viewing (41%) with Coronation Street a close second (34%).

Doggy daytime listeners to radio enjoy certain songs more than others, according to owners. The fifties classic, How much is that doggy in the window? Who Let the Dogs Out, The Birdie Song and Shout were all firm favourites for our dogs to dance to. Chris Moyles topped the polls as the number one doggy DJ, with his station BBC Radio One the favourite channel of choice for our music loving canines.

The research also found that we enjoy striking up a conversation with our dogs, but almost one in five women (18%) say they speak to their dog more frequently than to their partner or husband. Indeed, as we get older, we’re twice as likely to strike up a conversation with our dog than our partner.

The Welsh, Scots and those living in the south east are around twice as likely to talk to the dog than their partner than pet owners in Northern Ireland, the east midlands and the south west. In addition, over half of dog owners (57 per cent) admit to putting on a special ‘silly voice’ just for talking to their pet. (EDITOR: Oh, how very true that is!)

Richard Rockett from Supadog Sensitive: “We are a nation of dog lovers, but our research shows just how sensitive we are towards man’s best friend. Nothing is too much trouble to make sure our furry family member is contented and healthy. We share everything with our dogs, from our favourite television programme to musical preferences, and we’re not afraid of showing real affection for our favourite companion. We’re pleased that pet owners take the responsibility of owning a dog so seriously.

“The survey also revealed that food was a cause for concern among pet owners, As with humans, more and more dogs find certain foods and ingredients difficult to digest, causing stomach upset. A sensitive choice of dog food can take the hassle out of an upset stomach and is gentle for all dogs’ stomachs’, not just those prone to digestive problems. Why not take our Sensitive Challenge and see! www.supadogsensitive.com?”

The Supadog Sensitive research also showed two thirds of dog owners were very aware of their pet’s emotional state and able to identify whether they were happy or sad, hungry or tired. Respondents also showed an awareness of what their dog was scared of citing ‘other dogs’ as the most fearful encounter (23 per cent). Other fears included spiders, the telephone and their own tail!

Proud pet owners also boast their dog has a special talent (15%) including obedience tricks, high fives, dancing, playing football and rolling over.

Supadog Sensitive is a premium hypoallergenic dog food which is particularly suited to dogs with sensitive digestion. It is free from wheat, gluten, maize, eggs and beef.

Take the Burgess Supadog Sensitive Challenge at www.supadogsensitive.com Answer a series of simple questions about your dog to claim three free £5 vouchers and register for the chance to win a doggy holiday worth £500, with Welcome Cottages (www.welcomecottages.com).

Welcome to That's Pets!

Hello and welcome to That's Pets, the new online magazine/blog for pet owners and their pets. It will contain news and views about all aspects of pet keeping from dogs to cats from birds to fish and just about everything in between.