Dogs, often hailed as sources of joy for their owners, bring along their own set of challenges, making the canine-human bond a nuanced experience. In the absence of friends or family to assist with dog sitting, travel plans can quickly escalate in complexity and cost when relying on professional pet services. Additionally, certain undesirable canine behaviors, such as excessive drooling or shedding, pose a potential nuisance for dog owners.
To delve into the collective frustrations of dog owners across the United States, Forbes Advisor conducted a comprehensive survey, polling 10,000 participants with a diverse representation of 200 individuals from each state. Analyzing responses to 18 common annoyances, the survey sheds light on the unique and inconvenient challenges faced by dog owners nationwide.
At a national level, the top pet peeve for dog owners is the task of finding a dog sitter when heading out of town, a sentiment echoed by 43 states. Travel-related concerns continue to dominate, with the second most common annoyance revolving around the difficulty of securing pet-friendly hotels while on the road. A noteworthy observation from Forbes Advisor’s study highlights that merely five percent of hotels in the 100 most-populated U.S. cities accommodate pets.
The third spot in the ranking is claimed by the frustration of fulfilling the obligation to walk or exercise furry companions. This concern transcends to the state level, emerging as the primary annoyance in six states.
Dog ownership costs take the fourth position in the list of pet peeves, with 23% of owners citing it as an annoyance. The survey further reveals that the highest expenses for dog owners are attributed to dog food and veterinary care.
Surprisingly, only five percent of dog parents identified “when my dog jumps up on/lays on furniture or beds” as a pet peeve, making it the least selected concern.
While 43 U.S. states reported finding a sitter when going out of town as their top annoyance, California stands out with 63% of dog owners selecting this option as their primary concern.
Georgia uniquely ranks finding dog-friendly hotels as the top pet peeve, with 39% of dog owners selecting it as their primary annoyance. However, a higher number of respondents in Florida (59%), California (45%), and Alaska (40%) identified this issue as a significant pet peeve.
In a surprising twist, Tennessee dog owners appear to be the most resilient, with finding a sitter for their dogs when traveling as their top annoyance at only 20%, in stark contrast to Iowa’s high of 60%.
Although checking a dog for ticks was the fourth least popular pet peeve, chosen by just eight percent of respondents nationwide, Delaware dog owners expressed this concern more than any other state (21%). The state’s travel website warns that ticks are prevalent year-round, making them a constant threat to dogs.
