42% of parents returning to work will miss their pandemic dog more than their kids

A new survey from dog walking app Wag! has revealed some uncomfortable truths about our household loyalties. In a wide-ranging survey of people's feelings about being away from the dogs they acquired during the pandemic, Wag! also pitted dogs against children, and it looks like dogs won.

Sixty percent of participants switching to an in-office or hybrid work environment are also parents. When asked what they would miss most from a list of options (dog, house, spouse, kids, avoiding commute, or other), 42 percent said they would miss their dog the most.

The deep bond between humankind and dog is a sentiment that is overwhelmingly reflected throughout the survey, which thankfully didn't pose a Sophie's Choice dilemma, in which one had to go.

It's also worth noting that among those who are returning to in-person work, 76 percent are nervous about "pet care challenges" ahead.

The findings are a preview of blog posts that Wag! says it will publish in honor of National Puppy Day on March 23. Conducted by DKC Analytics, it consisted of 1,001 adults from the U.S. who have adopted, purchased, or been given at least one dog within the past two years. Participants were asked questions related to their experience as new dog parents, particularly as many return to in-person work. Data for this survey was "procured using the Pollfish survey delivery platform," according to Wag!.

Other findings reveal that many "pet parents" are surprised by the responsibilities of having a dog. A majority were surprised by the "amount of time, money, and effort required for eight different aspects of care," the highest being medical care and food/nutrition. And several statistics point to pet insurance being a major challenge.

Across a few different categories, pet parents seemed to express a desire for more information prior to getting a dog. According to the survey, "Three-quarters say they would have valued more information about food and nutrition, dog training, and pet wellness prior to their first parenting experience," and 87 percent say they would have benefitted from "better education" about the monetary cost of dog parenting.

Despite some of the challenges, the benefits of having a dog are clear. 88 percent of people who adopted dogs are "satisfied with their last adoption experience," 93 percent say their dog has provided them with "mental health support," and 48 percent say the dog in their life has "decreased their level of anxiety."