Companionship that comes on four legs

Krishna is now looking old. He and his elder brother guard our private road. His brother looks far worse. Recently, my friend took a bet with me that Krishna was only five years old. To resolve the bet, we consulted the person who we knew would have the exact age of the two dogs. He, now retired from an IT services major, told us he had been feeding the dogs for over 15 years. I won. Krishna is, in fact, 14 years old and his elder brother, 16. Most dog experts know that Indian street dogs live longer than their pampered brethren who reside in carpeted homes. 

There is definitely a pet market boom in the making. I started noticing new shops opening in many parts of Mumbai catering to pet lovers. There is even a pet store chain that has opened in the airports.

The size of the Indian pet care market is pegged at around $800 million. Pedigree dominates the pet foods market, thanks to its early entry and pioneering work in getting distribution into supermarkets and high-end general trade outlets. It is estimated that there are 19 million pets in India, most of them dogs (Business Today September 22, 2019). 

How does this compare with other countries?

There were just about 35 million dog-owning households in the US in 2002. This number has jumped to 60 million in 2017 (HBR, September-October 2018). That’s almost a doubling of the households in just 15 years. There are around 130 million households in the US, so more than 40 per cent of them have a dog or two. The US pet supplies industry is valued at an amazing $15 billion. Interestingly, online sales of pet products hit $8.2 billion in 2018. 

So we still have a lot of catching up to do if we compare our numbers to that of the US. But the Indian number is seeing rapid change. For instance, the pet care industry is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 15 per cent. 

What is driving the rapid growth of dog- or pet-owning households in India? And what does the future look like for this sector? Will Covid have an impact?

The first trigger is the need for companionship. One of the reasons touted for the rise of dog ownership in the US has been the rise of single-person households and aged living as empty nesters. This could also be happening in India. And we can expect an increased desire for pets and dogs post-Covid. 

The second trigger is probably the rise in the income levels of the top quartile of the Indian consumer class. As their income levels rise, their kids tend to attend better private schools. And having a dog at home becomes almost a part of the curriculum.

The third trigger could be the rise of support services that are on offer for a dog owner. There are professional dog trainers. There is the dog walker. Readily available dog food. While Covid has been a big blow to this industry, I see it bouncing back. 

The fourth trigger is social media and the endless number of pictures that a dog lover tends to post on Facebook and Instagram. These act as triggers to those who are on the wall, unsure if they should take the plunge.

Finally, the trigger could be the joy of having someone at home who loves you with no strings attached. As a dog lover who lives in a house of five told me: “My Caesar is the only person in my house who loves me with total devotion.” I am sure research will prove that dog-owning households faced the Covid-19 isolation a lot better than those who do not have a loving pet at home. 

Come to think of it, the reason that is missing from the above list is the real reason dogs [Krishna and Brother] were originally domesticated by man. As a hunting companion. A protection against enemy attack. A warning of an approaching enemy. 

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The writer is a brand strategist, author and founder of Brand-Building.com. He can be reached at ambimgp@brand-building.com  

(As a child, he had a pet dog called Dilip)