These days, if you don’t treat your doggo as though they’re your child, you’re the odd one out. But it’s become so normalized, that a third of pet owners wish could trade places with dog for at least a day — according to a new survey. Because who doesn’t want to live rent-free, eat good food, and sleep on a fluffy bed?

Here are the things that, we, “hoomans,” are missing out on:

The Paw-sh Life: Why Pet Owners Would Love to Trade Places With Dog

Dog food brand, Solid Gold commissioned a survey to see just how pampered our pooches are. Spoiler: they’re *extremely* spoiled! 96% of dog owners who participated admit that they spoil their doggos in some form or way. 60% even believe that they own “the world’s most spoiled dog.” It’s no wonder so many pet owners want to trade places with dog and get the same royal treatment!

These furry companions are so spoiled (sleeping in beds, eating premium dog treats and foods, etc.), that 32% of the survey participants said they regularly talk to their dogs like they’re their children; 18% talk to them like the dogs are babies, and another 18% speak to their dogs like they’re their fellow adults.

Many dogs are pampered to the point that even their owners want to trade places with dog for a day — yep, 37% of their humans would rather be doggo, in an alternate universe! When they were asked why they think it’s fun to be Fido — and what they would do if they were a doggo — 47% said that they’d play as much as they want to. Moreover, 42% of the hoomans said that they’d sleep until noon. Additionally, 37% would sleep wherever they wanted to.

Who Are These Diamonds in the Ruff That Make Humans Trade Places with Dog?

All dogs are cute and lovable. However, whether it’s a coincidence or if there’s something scientific behind this, some dog breeds or sizes get pampered more. Among the 60% who claim to own “the world’s most spoiled dog,” two-thirds of them own a herding dog (such as the Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, etc.).

The second most common “most spoiled dogs” (based on the participants’ breeds of dogs they own) are the non-sporting dogs such as the Shiba Inu, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and many other dog breeds that fall under the category. Next on the list are terrier breeds — or breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, and many more.

Do We Own Our Dogs? Or Did They Train Us to Take Care of Them?

Based on a few studies by researchers and archeologists (that have been published in a few journals such as the Cambridge University Press) domestication of canines occurred sometime around 6,000 to 16,000 years ago — they found evidence of this in Eurasian territories.

Furthermore, in a separate study by researchers at the Finnish Food Authority, Maria Lahtinen and her peers suggested that dog domestication only — yet comically — occurred because humans and wolves shared excess meat during winter. Little did these wild animals know that this simple freezing solstice coexistence would end up with their ferocious species eventually evolving into looking like pugs and chihuahuas!

Bark-ing Up the Right (Coun)-trees: Where to Live If You Trade Places With Dog

“Derpy” features aside, dogs and humans have been each other’s best companions for millennia now. But if you still think that it’s odd how much you spoil your best bud, know that several people around the world adore their fluffy companions, too! Some countries, however, seem to love owning one (or two — or more!) than others.

Here are the top 20 countries with a penchant for owning dogs (based on Pet Secure):

  • Brazil
  • USA
  • China
  • Russia
  • Japan
  • Philippines
  • India
  • Argentina
  • UK
  • France
  • South Africa
  • Poland
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • Ethiopia
  • Spain
  • Romania
  • Australia
  • Czech Republic
  • Hungary

It’s Fun to be Fido!

Our dogs deserve to live happily and healthily — and it’s our job to give them that kind of life. After all, they’ll only make up a small fraction of our lives, but that small fraction with us is already their whole lifetime. Therefore, it’s not odd to sometimes wonder what it’s like to trade places with dog. Because it would sure be lovely to have someone devote a huge chunk of their lives to pampering us!

In case you ever feel as though you’re strange for spoiling Fido, you’re not the only one doing that to their doggo!

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