Dogs in the UK and Ireland are being cossetted, with heating, radio and even TV while their owners are out of the house, according to a new study.
The survey of 1,002 British and Irish dog owners, conducted by heating oil supplier SuperSaverOil.ie, has revealed that the average dog is left home alone for six hours a day – but owners are treating their pets to little luxuries to make up for this.
The study suggests that 65% of owners will leave the heating on to make sure their dog is comfortable and 53% leave a light on for their pets while they’re out of the house at night. Just fewer than half turn on the radio to give their pooch some company and a quarter leave the TV on.
Mark Hackett, project manager at SuperSaverOil.ie, said: “It’s lovely to see how much people care about their animals. I expect there are some cases where the animals are actually receiving more luxuries than the owners themselves, especially when it comes to the heating.”
Top 10 things owners do to appease their dog while they’re out:
– Leave the heating on (65%)
– Leave the lights on (53%)
– Leave the radio on (48%)
– Leave the TV on (25%)
– Leave treats out (24%)
– Take the dog for an extra long walk before they go (20%)
– Leave toys out for the dog (19%)
– Hire a dog walker (12%)
– Arrange a dog play date (10%)
– Hire a dog sitter (5%).
