Dog food and treats generate a lot of conversation and attention online and on social media. That may seem like a “no-brainer” statement, but global data tracking that activity for 12 months, mid-2024 to mid-2025, provides corroboration.
The data, from Innova Market Insights, covered trends in mentions, sentiment, total mentions, reach, engagement and views of mentions related to dog food and treats across social media and online platforms. As an example of the high level of activity, news articles about dog food or treats achieved an average reach of 6.35 million per mention, according to the report, “Trending in Dog Food and Treats — Global.”
That might explain why the highest share of mentions were neutral (48%), compared to 41% being positive. (Only 11% were negative.) This also confirms for me that dog owners around the world are hungry for nutrition and product information to help feed their dogs.
Older owners interact more online about their dogs
Innova’s data and analysis of online and social media mentions about dog food and treats revealed some interesting insights. First, male dog owners are talking or posting almost as much as are female owners, 48% to 52%. And the mentions and postings by age are surprising — not that 19% came from owners aged 25-34, but that older age cohorts actually outpaced them. Dog owners aged 55-64 accounted for 22% of mentions, and even older owners, 65+ years, for 25%. Rounding out the shares of mentions were 18-24-year-olds at 11%, 35-44-year-olds by the same amount and 45-54-year-olds at 12%.
The Innova report didn’t provide any analysis or comments on the age breakdowns; my take (definitely uninformed and speculative) is that older dog owners going online or on social media are focused on the task of finding nutrition information for their dogs, while younger owners may be more likely to use the internet and social media for many additional tasks and reasons, not just to help feed their dogs.
Innova did share further information on the male vs. female dog owner breakdown: “Most male users often approach dog food conversations through a practical and community-focused lens, sharing cost-saving hacks and safety alerts, while also highlighting charitable efforts. Most female users, on the other hand, drive discussions centered on care, wellness and advocacy, emphasizing the emotional bond with their pets, reviewing and recommending products and prioritizing nutrition, health and ethical responsibilities.
“Together, these conversations reveal that men tend to frame dog food through function and problem-solving, while women highlight nurturing, health and advocacy,” the report continued.
Dog food and treat brands target trends
The report capped the demographic data with the recommendation to “Tailor strategies: Win loyalty by balancing function, safety and emotional care.” That tailoring probably would, and should, look different depending on a brand’s target audience and business and marketing models.
In fact, the report offered examples of just that, companies focusing or capitalizing on one or more dog food and treat trends: fresh and refrigerated products, cultivated meat (Innova recommended testing this alternative protein with treats and capturing “eco-conscious early adopters”), insect protein, “next-gen” functional dog treats for holistic health, pre- and postbiotics for gut health innovation, flavor combinations (nothing necessarily new but still palatable to dogs, like salmon plus sweet potato or bacon plus cheese), seasonal treats and subscription services to “lock in lifetime value.”
