There are many dogs living on our planet, but you’re probably wondering just how many of them are there?
The numbers we’ve prepared for you will answer that question and show how many people have dogs as pets, where they’re most popular, and more.
Let’s dive in!
How Many Dogs Are in the World?
There are between 700 million and 1 billion dogs in the world. The number includes the total world dog population — both dogs living in households and strays.
It’s important to note that these are estimates since counting every dog is impossible.
(Nature, 2020)
Eye-Opening Dog Population Statistics
If you want to know more about the dog population in the world and in the US, we’ve prepared some of the best stats for you. So, let’s go.
471+ million dogs are kept as pets in the world.
(Statista, 2018)
They’re the most popular pets globally, considering the number of pet cats is somewhere around 373 million.
According to a study, having a dog can improve your mood and well-being, so it’s no wonder the numbers have been growing over the years. Even countries with generally low dog populations have started to adopt more.
There are over 340 dog breeds worldwide.
(American Kennel Club, 2021)
The number of breeds in each country depends on their official kennel club. Some don’t recognize certain breeds or consider them the same as another one.
For example, out of all 340, the American Kennel Club recognizes only 197 breeds, and you won’t be surprised that the Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the US.
As of 2018, China has the largest population of pet dogs in the world.
(Bloomberg, 2019)
They have over 188 million dogs and cats, and around 100 million of them are dogs. China’s expected to have over 248 million pet dogs and cats by 2024.
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 taking your dog there is prohibited.
As of 2021, over 69.0 million dogs live as pets in the US.
(APPA, 2021)
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 increased by 10% due to the COVID pandemic.
Some states have incredibly high numbers, like Wyoming, where over 71.8% of people have a pet.
Around 70% of dogs in the world are free-roaming strays
(Nature, 2020)
Free-roaming strays are those completely homeless and don’t include dogs living in shelters.
In the US, 10% of strays end up in shelters worldwide, and the numbers are even lower globally.
There are only 1,409 African Wild Dogs left in the world
(IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2020)
The numbers are dropping with each generation. They’re highly endangered and are at the threat of extinction. They no longer exist in 11 countries, and their status is unknown in 9 others.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are around 1 billion dogs globally. Unfortunately, many of them are strays, but these stats show that the situation’s changing for the better. People are becoming more interested in adopting pets, but there’s still a long way to go.
Sources
