While dogs remained the second most common pet in Europe in 2023, data from six leading European nations reveals that the prevalence of dogs within national populations varies, pointing out cultural and lifestyle differences in companion animal ownership.
The Fédération Européenne de l'Industrie des Aliments pour Animaux Familiers (FEDIAF, European Pet Food Industry Federation) released pet population data for 2023 in their 2025 Facts and Figures report. Russia was not included.
Among the geographically European countries with the five highest dog populations, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland, the relationship between overall pet numbers and population size does not necessarily translate into uniform dog ownership rates.
Tim Wall, Microsoft Excel
Per capita pet ownership in Europe analysis
Germany had the largest human population at 84.4 million, and the second-highest dog population in 2023 with 10.5 million dogs, trailing the United Kingdom’s 11.7 million dogs and 68.35 million people. However, Germany’s per capita dog ownership rate (dogs/people) was 12.4%, lower than Spain’s 19.7% or Poland’s 22.9%, despite both nations having smaller human and dog populations.
Poland, with a human population of 36.8 million, had the highest per capita dog ownership rate among the countries analyzed. This outpaces all other countries in the group and suggests a stronger cultural affinity for dogs or higher average household ownership.
In contrast, France recorded the lowest per capita dog ownership rate at 11.1% despite having 7.6 million dogs and a population similar in size to the United Kingdom. The high number of cats in France, 14.9 million, may indicate a Gallic preference for feline friends over canine companions.
Spain also stands out with nearly 9.5 million dogs and a relatively high per capita rate of 19.7%, indicating that while the country has fewer dogs than the United Kingdom or Germany, those dogs are more concentrated within the population.
Italy’s per capita rate (14.9%) places it in the mid-range with a population of 59 million Homo sapiens to 8.77 million Canis familiaris.
These differences in per capita ownership reflect demographic and cultural trends. While larger countries like Germany naturally report higher absolute pet populations, smaller countries such as Poland and Spain exhibit proportionally higher dog ownership. This indicates that cultural factors, urbanization, housing norms and lifestyle may shape national preferences for pets.
As pet food manufacturers and product developers assess market potential, per capita ownership offers valuable insight into demand drivers beyond raw population numbers. Understanding both the scale and intensity of dog ownership in each country may better inform regional marketing, formulation preferences and supply strategies across Europe.
Human population data was taken from Eurostat.
| Dog population | Human population 2023 | Per capita dog | |
| United Kingdom | 11,700,000 | 68,350,000 | 0.171 |
| Germany | 10,500,000 | 84,400,000 | 0.124 |
| Spain | 9,463,000 | 48,100,000 | 0.197 |
| Italy | 8,766,000 | 59,000,000 | 0.149 |
| Poland | 8,440,000 | 36,800,000 | 0.229 |
| France | 7,600,000 | 68,200,000 | 0.111 |
