Dog ownership is part of Britain's cultural DNA: dog remains found at Grime's Graves in Norfolk suggest they were kept as pets here as early as 4,600BC. The reasons for having them are well known: they provide companionship; children like them; they encourage exercise and social lubrication in a culture that values polite, low-pressure interactions. Britain also has plentiful parks and open spaces where they can be walked.

But the Covid pandemic – and the move towards hybrid or home-working – has driven massive recent increases in ownership. According to Petlog/The Kennel Club, there were 351,000 registrations in 2021, up nearly 40% from 252,000 the year before.

How many dogs are there in Britain?

No one knows for sure: there's no dog census. But the most rigorous study, in the jour

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