More and more people are choosing to own a dog over having children and want to see Britain adapting by being more dog friendly, according to research conducted by the Kennel Club

The research, carried out ahead of the Kennel Club’s Open for Dogs Week from 20-26 August, found that two-fifths of people say owning a dog is a happy alternative to having children, and one in four say that a dog fits more easily with their lifestyle. Furthermore, a quarter of Brits with children say that whilst their children always come first, they prefer to do things with their dog.

It is not just children that are going down in the pecking order when compared to Fido. Eight out of ten say that their dog is attentive and loving when out and about, whereas just over half say that the same is true of their other half!

However, despite the central place that dogs hold in their owners’ hearts, many people experience difficulty taking their dogs out and about, particularly to restaurants. Two fifths of people say that they have problems finding a place where their dog is welcome while they eat, and almost half say that they’d like to see a wider variety of restaurants open their doors to dogs.

Learn more about Open For Dogs.