Are More Women Picking Bichons Over Babies?

Amy Tokic
by Amy Tokic
Is pet parenthood overtaking motherhood?


Don’t be surprised if the next time you look into a stroller expecting to go ga-ga over a cute little baby, you’re treated to a furry little dog instead. According to new numbers, more women are choosing to coo over puppies than change diapers… and really, who can blame them?


Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in the United States, birth rates have fallen from nearly 70 per 1,000 women in 2007, to under 63 last year. That’s a 10 percent drop in just six years. The biggest fall can be seen in the 15- to 29-year old demographic. And this just happens to be the group that loves the pooches, says business-news site Quartz.


Since 1999, people have been picking up pups and the pill. They’ve also been waiting longer to get married. In this time period, the canine population has doubled. The number of small dogs (under 25 pounds) has boomed, jumping from 34. 1 million in 2008 to 40.8 million in 2012. This puppy boom is wonderful for the dog product industry. The American Pet Products Association estimates that in 2014, $58.51 billion will be spent on pets in the U.S.


I’ve chosen to care for a dog rather than a baby, which I will write about in other articles soon, and I know many other singles and couples who have taken this route. We’ve chosen this lifestyle for many reasons: lifestyle, money, career and health, just to mention a few. How about you? Are you one of the many or know of anyone who picked a dog over having children? Or do you think it’s just a silly fad? Please leave your opinions in the comment section below.

Amy Tokic
Amy Tokic

Amy Tokic, Editor of PetGuide.com, is a passionate animal lover and proud pet parent of Oscar, a Shih Tzu/Chihuahua cross, and Zed, a Japanese Chin. Her love of animals began in kindergarten, when she brought her stuffed dog Snoopy into class with her every day. Now, she writes about her adventures in pet ownership and tirelessly researches products, news and health related issues she can share with other animal enthusiasts. In her free time, Amy loves perusing used book and record stores, obsessing over the latest pet products available and chasing squirrels with wild abandon (a habit attributed to spending too much time with her pooches).

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