With over 8 million dogs in Canada, it seems that canines have infiltrated every facet of human existence. We kiss them, let them sleep in our beds, and spend billions on premium pet products. Welcome to Dog Nation.
The Rise of Pet Parenthood
Historically, dogs were brought into human settlements for security, hunting, and companionship. They stayed for affection, food, and shelter. In the past century, they have moved from the barn to, in many cases, the bed. Today, 95 percent of Canadians consider their pets part of the family, and that number rises to 99 percent in households without children.
The proportion of people who identify as "pet parents" has increased with each generation. According to a survey by the pet care app Pawzy, 44 percent of baby boomers consider themselves pet parents, compared to 47 percent of Gen X and 54 percent of millennials.
Dogs in the Bedroom
For most of Canada's 8.3 million dogs, the doghouse is a relic of the past. A survey by Spot & Tango, a human-grade dog food delivery service, found that over half (55 percent) of pet owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them. Gen Zers' favorite activity is eating with their dog (63 percent). Nine in 10 dog owners consider their pet's health to be just as or even more important than their own. Half would clone their dogs, a sentiment especially strong among Gen Z at 74 percent, and 10 percent said there is no limit to what they would pay to create a genetic twin.
The Humanization of Pets
While the humanization of pets has existed since they were first invited into homes, it has reached new levels. People form deep emotional bonds with their dogs, comparable to those with humans, and feel obligations beyond fulfilling basic animal needs. Owners structure their days around walks, send pups to doggie daycare, buy human-grade meals, and invest in activity trackers, stimulating toys, weatherproof clothing, and costumes.
The benefits people report are numerous: beyond companionship, dogs provide happiness, a sense of purpose, and support. Studies show that dogs improve human health by reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, encouraging exercise, and fending off loneliness.
Potential Downsides
However, as humans and dogs grow ever closer, evidence suggests that this can interfere with people's ability to understand their pets' needs as animals, leading to behavioral issues. Guilt also arises when owners cannot spend as much time with their pets as they would like.
Some owners feel that the script has flipped, with dogs now commanding the household. Amy Fitzgerald, a professor at the University of Windsor with expertise in critical animal studies, notes that people rush home to take care of their dogs, whereas in the past, that was not the case for most.
Demographic Drivers
Beatriz Luz, a data researcher at Statista, explains that the humanization of pets is driven by demographic changes. Canada's fertility rate hit an all-time low of 1.25 children per woman in 2024, and one-person households have been the most common type since 2016. People seeking companionship often turn to pets. Fitzgerald adds that because recent generations have been socialized with animals, it is now a given.
Even the late Pope Francis weighed in, stating in 2022 that having dogs and cats instead of children "takes away our humanity," a comment that angered many pet lovers. Fitzgerald laughs, noting that in the past, this would not have been seen as a threat to having children, but now it is viewed as competing for attention and space.
Welcome to the Family
Toronto marketing consultant Gigi Rabnett envisioned her 18-month-old son, Felix, and her border collie mix, Chips, being best friends. Although she cannot leave them alone yet, the transition has been smooth. Rabnett says Felix is a dog person; "dog" was his first word, followed by "woof woof."
Before her son was born, people told Rabnett that once she became a parent, her dog would take a back seat. "I can confidently say that did not happen to me," she says. "I still love my dog more than anything in the world. He's my therapy dog. He sleeps on the bed with me at night, and he's my husband's therapy dog, too. But I truly believe we have a special bond — just Chips and me."
Chips is a rescue dog, now 11 years old. Rabnett worries about his aging. Last year, Chips had a tooth infection requiring multiple extractions, costing $6,000. "My husband essentially fainted," Rabnett recalls. "We did it because you don't blink an eye. Did we have $6,000 to spend at the time? No, but it led to a discussion about, 'How much would we actually pay?'" They now have a plan, including a GoFundMe and asking family members. "We would probably pay anything, like sell our house. The sky's the limit."
Rabnett has even researched dog cloning, which can cost up to US$50,000, but decided against it because cloned dogs do not have the same personality. "I'm becoming more and more at peace with maybe there's just going to be one of him." When Chips was two, Rabnett and her husband got tattoos of his ears. "He's going to be a part of us forever."
'Pawternity' Leave
Jen Wrye, a sociologist at North Island College in Cumberland, B.C., notes a shift in the past decade from seeing dogs as companion animals to family members. "It's almost an unequivocal family member relationship. People refer to themselves as pet parents and treat their dogs as true members of the family."
As urbanization has increased, so has expenditure on toys, food, preventive veterinary care, health and wellness, and specialized burials. Some companies now offer "pawternity" leave, allowing employees paid time off to help pets settle into new homes. Mars, Talk Shop, and Wendy Ellen Inc. are among those offering this benefit. Wrye adds that some companies also offer pet bereavement leave.
Dogs are also more present in shared human spaces such as bars, breweries, cafés, and pubs. There has been an explosion of emotional support animals and other designations allowing people to take their animals into places they could not before. "There has definitely been a shift to including animals in society in ways that, historically, we just didn't do," says Fitzgerald.
'An Emotional Anchor'
Jason Hudson, a baker, photographer, and writer, has two dogs and three horses on a farm in Ontario's Prince Edward County. His dogs, Zorrito and Vida, are rescues from Mexico and the Dominican Republic, respectively. Hudson had DNA testing done out of curiosity. Zorrito is part Chihuahua and part Xoloitzcuintli, while Vida is part Rottweiler and part mixed terrier.
If money were no object, Hudson would cook for his dogs. "But the cost of groceries is wild, so you have to draw the line somewhere. But they get wet food, toppers, vegetables, proteins, scrambled eggs. I definitely treat them like little people."
Hudson does not consider himself a dog parent. He recalls a friend's advice before adopting Zorrito: she compared a dog to a fireplace that must be tended to provide warmth. "It's a life force. It's an emotional anchor point in your daily life, just shy of being a person."
Dogs are ever-present and responsive to the emotional temperature of a household. Zorrito especially likes to be in Hudson's presence and they share a morning routine. "He'll come up to my face from wherever he's been in the bed, and we have a morning snuggle. He puts his head on my pillow, and we just look at each other and say, 'Hello. Are you ready to start the day?' It's ridiculous and silly, but it's just very, very sweet."
$7.4 Billion Spent on Pet Products
Even as consumers cut back on discretionary expenses due to the high cost of living, they continue to protect pet spending, says Jenna Jacobson, associate professor and director of Toronto Metropolitan University's Retail Leadership Institute. "Many owners are continuing to invest in premium, emotionally loaded purchases, like treats and wellness, while looking for value in ongoing purchases like food."
Canadian households spent $7.4 billion on pets and pet food in 2024, up from $5.7 billion in 2019, according to Statistics Canada. Spending on veterinary and other services increased from $3.9 billion to $6.6 billion. The Competition Bureau estimates individual pet owners spend roughly $5,200 annually on a puppy and about $4,137 on an adult dog.
The love people have for their pets, guilt from long work hours, and social media influence drive the premiumization of pet products, says Jacobson. "You have this foundation of love, the world around you changing, seeing what other people are doing on social media. It creates a perfect storm, and retailers are tapping into this."
The pet aisle now mirrors beauty, wellness, or lifestyle retail. Products include high-protein, probiotic, and preservative-free foods, supplements, calming products, premium grooming, apparel, accessories, travel gear, and smart feeders. "We've always had dog food, but we haven't previously had a device that could have a video camera on your dog that can throw treats."
Pet humanization's effect on the marketplace has been building. Premium brands like Canada Pooch have been selling high-end apparel since 2011. The $112 a pet owner might spend on a waterproof puffer is comparable to what a parent might spend on a jacket for their child.
Animal influencers have massive online followings. Jacobson and her sister started an Instagram account for their twin Chihuahuas, Pixel and Atti, in 2017. Through them, Jacobson experienced the pet influencer space and published research on the topic. Pet brands sent free products, and they were in photo shoots and a music video. "That's real influencer stuff, but done at a very micro-scale."
Social media has made pet celebrations shareable. "Maybe you would have celebrated your dog's birthday at home, but now it's got a little more esthetic appeal because you're going to take a picture and post it. It's a way of signaling your identity and being part of a larger community."
What's for Dinner?
The pet food market is booming. From plant-based to organic, clean labels, and functional benefits, dog owners extend their food preferences to their pets. Sixty-eight percent of Canadian pet owners are willing to spend more on pet foods with additional health and wellness benefits, according to the Canadian Pet Market Survey by Packaged Facts.
Fitzgerald has human-grade treats for her Labrador retriever mix, Dino. Her 11-year-old son asked if he could eat them. "I had to explain, 'Well, no. They're still for the dog, not for you.'"
Spot & Tango expanded into Canada on March 3, 2026, with its "fresh-dry" UnKibble, a minimally processed, human-grade alternative to traditional kibble. Dylan Munro, COO and co-founder, has eaten their products, as have investors. "It's really a sign of how much we believe in the product."
Munro grew up in Oakville, Ont., with dogs named after music references: Rigby, Cash, Hendrix. In 2018, after Harvard and McKinsey, he co-founded Spot & Tango. The company started with fresh dog food as a team of two. Today, it has 150 employees, a manufacturing plant, and has delivered more than 150 million meals. "Last year, we did over US$130 million in revenue. We're growing 60 percent year-over-year, profitably."
In the early days, it took convincing to get human-grade suppliers to work with them. "Human facilities didn't want to do it because 'dog' was a four-letter word. It felt like something that just hasn't been done before."
'An Important Source of Human Comfort'
One-third of Canadian pet owners brought a new animal into their home during the pandemic, representing about three million pets. "One of the first things that happened was that people went out and got cats and dogs for companionship that they weren't getting from people. Animals have become an important source of human comfort and even socialization," says Fitzgerald.
On the flip side, return-to-office mandates mean some people are not spending as much time at home with their dogs, exacerbating guilt. Behavioral issues also increased because dogs were socialized in an unusual situation with people home all the time. Some owners face stress from separation anxiety or cannot leave a relationship because of a pet. Fitzgerald adds, "As someone who had a dog from an abusive puppy mill situation, I know what it's like when you can't just have people over because you don't know how the dog's going to react."
Spending on dog care services like boarding or daycare is increasing, especially among Gen Z owners, who are most likely to pay for doggie daycare (35 percent) and dog walking services (31 percent). The global pet daycare market is projected to reach US$4.8 billion by 2032, with an annual growth rate of 8.5 percent.
Silvia Jay, a Calgary-based dog behavior consultant and author of In Kinship With Dogs (2026), notes that the rise of doggie daycare has had an effect. "Since the popularity of daycare facilities, I've seen increasingly more rude and frustrated dogs on walks and at off-leash places." She notes that many daycares have too many dogs in too small a space, which can be overwhelming, especially for sound- and motion-sensitive herding dogs.
Rise in Behavioral Issues
Karen Machin, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says behavioral issues could be due to many factors, including a lack of socialization left over from the pandemic. "I view socialization as an inoculation against stress. Every new experience is a stressor to an extent. When you are exposed early, you get accustomed to it. Those early socialization experiences were lost completely for many animals."
Early experiences matter, as does epigenetics. "We know from studies that it's not just about the experiences of an individual. It's the parents, grandparents, and so on. In mice, they can show it out to five generations."
One downside of the surge in pet ownership in the early 2020s is that indiscriminate breeding arose to profit from it, and that continues. "They're individuals, not little robots. They respond to everything in their environment and navigate the world based on what they learn from the last experience."
'If a Dog Feels Safe, Then a Dog Is Safe'
As the dynamic between dogs and humans has changed, so has training philosophy. Viewing dogs as sentient beings has led to a focus on rewarding desired behaviors rather than using punitive methods like shock collars. In In Kinship With Dogs, Jay proposes embracing "attuned" in place of "assertive." Paying attention to what a dog is interested in and what it shies away from is key. "If a dog feels safe, then a dog is safe."
Andre Yeu, founder of When Hounds Fly, a dog training school in Toronto and Vancouver, was inspired to become a trainer after adopting Duke, a beagle with separation anxiety. In the mid-2000s, many people thought they needed to assert dominance. "But through hard work and education, it's shifted. They have complex emotional lives. They have similar basic needs as we do in terms of safety, enrichment, and mental stimulation. Many behavioral issues are not about dominance but are symptoms of dogs living in urban societies where their basic needs aren't met."
Yeu takes a positive reinforcement-based approach. Ensuring the dog's needs are met is crucial. "If a dog is underexercised, understimulated, and not psychologically safe, no amount of training will make that dog successful if it's constantly under stress."
Some spending on dogs may be for the owner's benefit. "I'm fairly sure no dog feels more fulfilled having more costumes. If you like seeing your dog in raincoats, go for it. But if we want to do the best for our dogs, we should remember their ikigai." Approximating their biological needs, like playing fetch or herding trials for border collies, can go a long way. "Your dog will be like, 'this is the best day of my life.'"
'She Saved My Life'
Humans go to great lengths to include their pets in their lives, but it is not just the dogs that benefit. "That also has a huge, massive benefit for people as well," says Machin. Dogs encourage exercise, and interacting with animals can decrease cortisol, lower blood pressure, and reduce loneliness.
Danielle Melisse's dog Zoe, a seven-year-old mixed breed, is a striking example. "I see her as my saviour," says Melisse, who got Zoe as an emotional support animal at eight weeks old in 2019. After three traumatic life events — a second miscarriage, her partner leaving, and her father dying — Melisse became extremely sick, experiencing chronic anxiety, panic disorder, and clinical depression. "Having a high-energy dog that required me to be focused and follow their schedule kept me on track."
Melisse sees their health as intertwined. Now that Zoe is recovering from her second knee surgery, they spend time hiking in the woods. "She's such an explorer. I can be down, and as soon as I turn my energy to her, it's impossible. I'm indebted to her."
Some dog owners, like Melisse, do not feel their pets are calling the shots. But others, like Rabnett, see some truth. "My life very much revolves around my dog's schedule, and that's because I understand my dog." Chips' walks are non-negotiable. "I bring the dog with me to pick up my son from daycare. We do things as a family. But I also think the dog thinks he needs certain things. My husband's always the first to remind me, 'Sometimes he can skip his walk.' I do think very much, I'm under this dog's spell."
