Why dogs have richer social lives than their humans

Is your dog more popular than you? A new study suggests dogs are hanging out with their own friends more than you hang out with your own.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. dog parents found 54% believe their dogs have their own friend groups among other dogs. Sixty-nine percent of them said their dog even has a best dog friend.

Eight in ten believe their dogs feel "very" happy when they get to see their dog friends, but 69% think their dogs should be able to see their own friends even more than they currently do.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of them believe their dog hangs out with their dog friends more than the parent hangs out with their own friends.

Commissioned by Camp Bow Wow, a dog daycare and boarding franchise, and conducted by Talker Research, the survey revealed 91% of dog parents believe it's important that their dogs be socialized, providing a foundation for building friendship.

In fact, 83% said they feel a "sense of accomplishment" as pet parents when their dog is well-socialized and able to make new friends.

Seventy-nine percent agreed they feel like both they and their dog are living their best lives when the dog is able to socialize.

Among the respondents who said their dog has their own friends, the number of benefits from socializing was widespread: dogs feel happier (55%), have improved social skills (48%), feel less lonely (48%), have an improved sense of wellbeing (46%) and have a higher quality of life (45%).

Seven in 10 respondents (71%) swear their dogs are "extremely" or "significantly" social — warming up to new humans and dogs either immediately or in a short period of time after initial shyness.

"We all need friends, and that includes our dogs. It's clear to see how socialization and friendship can improve the quality of life for dogs," said Camp Bow Wow’s Animal Health and Behavioral Expert Erin Askeland, M.Sc., CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA. "Dogs are just like us — being able to see other dogs and interact with them on a regular basis does so much good for their mental and emotional wellbeing, and it makes their parents happier, too.

"That said, not every dog is a social butterfly. Some prefer quiet companionship, a smaller circle of canine friends, or just their human family, and that’s perfectly okay. Respecting each dog’s personality is key to helping them thrive."

The study also found over a third (36%) of respondents said they take their dogs to daycare on a regular basis — four times per month, on average.

And 92% of pet parents who said they take their pups to daycare at least three times per month also said they love seeing their dog make friends — it fills them with a sense of joy.

Once they arrive at daycare, parents said their dog eagerly runs off to greet their best dog friend (30%), a group of dogs they know (25%) and even the caretakers (24%).

Over half (52%) of dog parents believe bringing their dog to daycare can improve their socialization skills.

"Places like dog daycares can play a vital role in facilitating socialization," continued Erin. "Much like how we humans have our own places to socialize with our friends, dogs deserve to have a place that caters to them, like a high-quality dog daycare, and allows them to be themselves with their friends."

TOP 10 BENEFITS OF SOCIALIZING YOUR DOG

• It makes them feel happier - 55%
• It improves their socialization skills - 48%
• They’re less lonely - 48%
• It improves their wellbeing - 46%
• They have a higher quality of life - 45%
• They’re more loving - 43%
• It improves their behavior around other humans - 43%
• They’re more physically stimulated - 43%
• They’re less bored - 41%
• It boosts their confidence - 41%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American dog owners aged 25 and older who own fewer than four dogs; the survey was commissioned by Camp Bow Wow and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Apr. 21 and Apr. 28, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.