From competitive surfing to grabbing a brewski to taking a nap, there are countless ways to spend time with our pups. But some dog-friendly activities are a little more popular than others, and a new surveyopens in new tab found that one activity sticks out above all the rest: the top activity that people and their dogs do together is…drumroll please…watching TV.
Yes, you read that right. Talker Research asked 1900 pet parents what their favorite thing to do with their pup was, and 69 percent answered that they prefer to spend their time watching TV with their pup. The survey didn’t ask why, but we’re guessing it has something to do with a combination of our love of binge-watching Netflix and couch time leaving our hands free for belly rubs — a win-win for people and their pups.
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The next most popular activity was exercising (possibly more of a win-win for people and their pups), at 64 percent, followed by napping at 58 percent (which is actually good for you), eating meals at 55 percent, getting ready in the morning at 33 percent (which seems very odd), and traveling at 29 percent. Coming in last, only 8 percent of respondents prefer to go to brunch with their pups.
Interestingly, young people aren’t leading the charge when it comes to puppy screen time. Gen-Z respondents were the only generation surveyed not to choose watching TV as their top activity; instead, 63 percent prefer to eat meals at the same time as their dog.
As for whether or not dogs actually like watching TV, the jury’s still out. “We know that they can recognize images on the screen, but to say whether or not they enjoy television, I don’t really know, personally, of any dogs that sit there and watch TV,” Camille Ward, a certified applied animal behaviorist, told Kinship. “It’s not like we can put dogs in front of the TV and it can occupy them like it would a person or a child.”
That said, she adds that some pups definitely show more interest than others — and the content matters. Some of it comes down to breed; a herding dog might be stimulated by animals moving around the screen, for example, while a Terrier (originally bred to hunt vermin) might be gripped by a squeaky noise. A 2024 studyopens in new tab found that 90 percent of pet parents say their dog is most interested in animal content, with ball sports and vehicles also catching their eye.
More findings
The survey also dug into a separate question: What would people sacrifice for their pups? Different generations were willing to part with different things. In exchange for adding three years to their dogs’ lifespans, Gen-Z was most willing to give up their favorite meals, while millennials and Gen-Xers would give up coffee forever. Forty-two percent of baby boomers say they would rather have all their entertainment spoiled for them.
Across all generations, one in seven pet parents say they’d go so far as to break up with their partner or spouse to extend their pet’s life.
Survey respondents show their love for pets in a variety of ways. Sixty-four percent of pet parents tell their dog “I love you” each day, 55 percent let their pup sleep in their bed, and 53 percent provide them with multiple dog beds and toys.
Ninety-two percent of dog parents say they snuggle and kiss their dog, and the average pet parent snuggles or kisses their dog six times a day. This tracks — it’s easy to multitask all those cuddles with binge watching the latest Netflix show. Now if only they could tell us their thoughts on the Severance finale.
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