The Average Guy

When I was a kid we always had at least one dog as a pet so when my children wanted one about 13 years ago it didn’t take too much convincing… after all some will tell out a family is not complete until
they have a pet. That experience did not go well or last long as after several weeks and several hundred dollars we found a new home for our golden retriever puppy. “Bailey” was better off and so were we because as my daughter said at the time…”we’re not dog people.”

Anyway Pets and Men are the subject of this month’s “The Average Guy” feature in Men’s Health magazine and here are some stats on man’s best friend:

• 78% of men surveyed currently own a pet while only 3% have never owned one in their lifetime.
• Of course dogs are the most popular pets and we men favor the Labrador retriever when it comes to breeds.
• The average dog costs owners about $717 a year but if you’re looking to save money on pets then go for a fish…they only cost
about $35 each year.
• Nearly 70% of men give their pets gifts on birthdays and holidays
and 19% have dressed them up for Halloween or Christmas.
• 1 in 6 men have a picture of their pet on their desk at work and 1 in 10 say they’ve been told they look like their pet.
• 20% of men have used their pet to pick up women and 78% of those who tried said it worked.
• 72% said they would risk their lives to save their pet and 58% of men would refuse an evacuation order if they could not bring their
favorite creature with them.
• 25% held a funeral for their pet and 68% buried it in the backyard.
• 7% actually made financial arrangements for their pet in their will.
• As for replacing a dead pet…the average time a man will wait is one year.

The world really is going to the dogs isn’t it?