If you’ve ever been greeted by a tail-wagging neighbour before the neighbour themselves, you’ll know South Africans take their dogs seriously.
From the loyal gatekeeper who knows every person walking down the street, to the farm dog who hears a visitor arriving long before anyone else, our four-legged friends are very much part of the family.
And on International Dog Day, 26 August, the spotlight is firmly on man’s best friend. The day is celebrated every year on August 26 to honour dogs, promote adoption, and raise awareness about animal welfare.
The latest General Household Survey (GHS) 2025 has revealed just how much South Africans love their dogs, and even which province could claim the title of the country’s biggest dog lover.
Dogs lead the pack
There’s no real contest between cats and dogs when it comes to popularity.
The GHS found that 21% of South African households own dogs, compared with just 6.4% that own cats.
An estimated 7.5 million dogs live in South African households, compared with around 2 million cats.
And while some households may resemble a small-scale dog sanctuary, most owners keep things relatively manageable. More than half of dogs (56%) are the only canine in their household, while 27.1% live with one other dog.
Having five or more dogs is considerably less common, accounting for just 3.4% of households.
And the award for South Africa’s biggest dog lovers goes to…
The Northern Cape.
A whopping 34.7% of households in the province own a dog, narrowly beating the Western Cape at 34.1% and the Eastern Cape at 31.8%.
At the other end of the tail, dog ownership is lowest in Limpopo at 14.3%, followed by Gauteng at 15.9% and Mpumalanga at 16.1%.
So, if you’re looking for a province where you’re particularly likely to be enthusiastically greeted by a barking, tail-wagging friend, the Northern Cape might be your best bet.
City slickers or country dogs?
Dogs are somewhat more common in rural households, with 23.9% owning dogs compared with 19.8% of urban households.
But there are still plenty of urban pups. About 38.5% of South Africa’s 7.48 million dogs live in metropolitan areas.
And when it comes to the type of home, dogs clearly appreciate a bit of space. More than 81% of dog-owning households live in freestanding homes.
Older households have more dogs
It seems our love for dogs may grow with age.
Only 11% of households headed by someone aged 15 to 34 own a dog.
That rises steadily with age, reaching 31.2% among households headed by someone aged 75 or older.
Perhaps after a lifetime of responsibilities, there’s simply more time for walks, belly rubs and explaining to the dog that yes, dinner really is still an hour away.
More family members, more paws
The survey also found that bigger families are more likely to have dogs.
Dog ownership rises from 18.1% among households without children to 25.5% among households with three or more children.
Which may explain why the phrase “Can we please have a puppy?” eventually becomes “Fine, but you’re walking it.”
The wealth factor
The GHS also found a strong link between household wealth and pet ownership.
Among households in the highest Living Standards Measure (LSM 8–10), 41.8% owned dogs, almost double the national average.
Dog ownership was also more than twice as common among households in the wealthiest income quintile, at 33.9%, compared with 12.9% among the poorest households.
More than just a pretty face
International Dog Day isn’t only about celebrating the pets sleeping on couches, stealing food from kitchen counters or barking at absolutely nothing.
It also highlights responsible pet ownership, adoption and the vital work performed by service, police, military and rescue dogs.
Across South Africa, millions of dogs are part of families and communities, whether they’re guarding the gate, helping on farms, joining their owners for walks or simply demanding attention at exactly the wrong moment.
The GHS data make one thing abundantly clear: when South Africans choose between a dog and a cat, the dog is much more likely to get the call.
