{"id":9512,"date":"2022-02-16T16:55:42","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T16:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=9512"},"modified":"2024-02-18T14:17:56","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T14:17:56","slug":"how-many-dogs-are-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/how-many-dogs-are-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Dogs Are in the World? New Fascinating Stats in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many dogs living on our planet, but you\u2019re probably wondering just how many of them are there?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The numbers we\u2019ve prepared for you will answer that question and show how many people have dogs as pets, where they\u2019re most popular, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive in!<\/span><\/p>\n

How Many Dogs Are in the World?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are between 700 million and 1 billion dogs in the world. The number includes the total world dog population \u2014 both dogs living in households and strays.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that these are estimates since counting every dog is impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Nature, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n

Eye-Opening Dog Population Statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you want to know more about the dog population in the world and in the US, we\u2019ve prepared some of the best stats for you. So, let\u2019s go.<\/span><\/p>\n

471+ million dogs are kept as pets in the world.<\/span><\/h3>\n

(Statista, 2018)<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019re the most popular pets globally, considering the number of pet cats is somewhere around 373 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a study, <\/span>having a dog can improve your mood and well-being<\/span><\/a>, so it\u2019s no wonder the numbers have been growing over the years. Even countries with generally low dog populations have started to adopt more.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are over 340 dog breeds worldwide.<\/span><\/h3>\n

(American Kennel Club, 2021)<\/span><\/p>\n

The number of breeds in each country depends on their official kennel club. Some don\u2019t recognize certain breeds or consider them the same as another one.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, out of all 340, the American Kennel Club recognizes only 197 breeds, and you won\u2019t be surprised that the <\/span>Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the US.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

As of 2018, China has the largest population of pet dogs in the world.<\/span><\/h3>\n

(Bloomberg, 2019)<\/span><\/p>\n

They have over 188 million dogs and cats, and around 100 million of them are dogs. China\u2019s expected to have over 248 million pet dogs and cats by 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lowest pet dog population in the world is in the Maldives, where no pet dogs are allowed. On the island, only service dogs are permitted. Even <\/span>taking your dog there is prohibited<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

As of 2021, over 69.0 million dogs live as pets in the US.<\/span><\/h3>\n

(APPA, 2021)<\/span><\/p>\n

While maybe no longer the largest number of pet dogs per country, it makes the USA a country with most dogs per capita. The number <\/span>\u00a0increased by 10% due to the COVID pandemic<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some states have incredibly high numbers, like<\/span> Wyoming, where over 71.8% of people have a pet<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Around 70% of dogs in the world are free-roaming strays<\/span><\/h3>\n

(Nature, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n

Free-roaming strays are those completely homeless and don\u2019t include dogs living in shelters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the US, 10% of strays end up in shelters<\/span><\/a> worldwide, and the numbers are even lower globally.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are only 1,409 African Wild Dogs left in the world<\/span><\/h3>\n

(IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n

The numbers are dropping with each generation. They\u2019re highly endangered and are at the threat of extinction. They no longer exist in 11 countries, and their status is unknown in 9 others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n

As you can see, there are around 1 billion dogs globally. Unfortunately, many of them are strays, but these stats show that the situation\u2019s changing for the better. People are becoming more interested in adopting pets, but there\u2019s still a long way to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources<\/span><\/h3>\n