When Puppies Replace Playpens: The Rise of Dogs as Child Surrogates
A striking new study published in European Psychologist reveals that the recent surge in dog ownership may be more than a cute lifestyle trend—it could mirror profound shifts in how we view family, companionship and caregiving. Across much of Europe, North America and East Asia, birth rates have dipped below replacement levels, leaving societies grappling with an aging population and shrinking workforces. Simultaneously, dogs have become ever-present household companions, with one in four to one in two families in many European countries now welcoming at least one canine into their homes.
Researchers Laura Gillet and Enikő Kubinyi of Eötvös Loránd University set out to explore whether a connection exists between these two seismic social changes. They discovered that for a growing number of dog owners, pups aren’t just pets—they’re filling the emotional role traditionally occupied by children. Unlike raising kids, which involves decades of schooling, financial sacrifice and relentless parenting challenges, dog ownership delivers a more manageable way to channel nurturing instincts.
The study pins part of this shift on the straightforward “control and care” equation: puppies can’t pick a college, won’t demand a driver’s license at sixteen and won’t roll their eyes at you as they enter adolescence. “Some owners actively choose dogs over children,” the researchers note, “seeing them as child surrogates to spoil, comfort and delight without the intense long-term commitment of raising offspring.” That isn’t to say dogs aren’t demanding—they crave attention, training and veterinary care—but in the eyes of many, those responsibilities pale in comparison to diapers, homework battles and teenage mood swings.
Meanwhile, the UK’s fertility rate has been sliding faster than in any other G7 nation. Since 2010, the average number of children per woman in Britain has plummeted by nearly a quarter, from around 1.9 to a record low of 1.44 in 2023. Projections now estimate that figure could bottom out at 1.41 by 2027 and remain stuck there for almost a decade. These numbers have sparked urgent debates about work-life balance, childcare affordability and the societal value we place on parenting.
Critics—including Pope Francis, who labeled pet pampering a sign of modern selfishness—argue that treating dogs like children undermines traditional family structures and dangles an easier emotional fix in place of real human bonds. But proponents of the “dog surrogate” concept counter that this trend reflects evolving social networks rather than a moral failing. For singles and couples delaying or forgoing parenthood to pursue careers, travel or personal growth, a loyal canine companion can provide daily routines, social interaction on dog-walking routes and even new friendships in local dog-park communities.
As pets increasingly assume central roles in our lives, the lines between human and animal family members blur ever further. Tiny breeds with big eyes and baby-like features are now bread winners at breeders’ houses, bred precisely to tap into our caregiving instincts. Whether this represents a permanent demographic pivot or simply a pause before society rebalances its birth-and-pet equation remains to be seen. What’s clear is that for millions, dogs have leaped beyond the backyard fence to stake a claim on our hearts—and perhaps, in some curious way, on our parental ambitions too.
Sources:
Gillet & Kubinyi (2025) – Redefining parenting and family—The child-like role of dogs in Western societies Read on European Psychologist
Kubinyi (2025) – The Link Between Companion Dogs, Human Fertility Rates, and Social Networks Read on ResearchGate
Kubinyi & Turcsán (2025) – From kin to canines: understanding modern dog keeping from both biological and cultural evolutionary perspectives Read on Springer Biologia Futura
Mark Travers (2025) – Are Pets Replacing Children In Today’s Families? A Psychologist Explains Read on Forbes
APS News (2025) – Why People See Their Pets as Family Members Read on Association for Psychological Science
