Across much of the Western world, birth rates are dropping. At the same time, more people are bringing dogs into their lives—and treating them as full-fledged family members (honestly, as they should).
A new review published in European Psychologist by researchers at Eötvös Loránd University explores what this shift says about us. The authors don’t suggest that people are replacing children with pets. Instead, they point to a growing trend in which people seek connection, meaning, and providing care in ways that feel more emotionally sustainable than parenthood.
“In the eyes of many, commitments coming with dog ownership remain less burdensome than child parenting,” said Laura Gillet, one of the study’s lead authors, in a press release. From rising costs to relentless work demands and fears about the future, many young adults are turning to companions who offer love, loyalty, and zero pressure to figure out childcare.
Dogs don’t need to be seen as substitutes for children to matter in a profound way. According to Gillet and Kubinyi, our built-in drive to care for others doesn’t always draw sharp lines between species. Sometimes, it settles into the relationship we have with a loyal creature who simply wants to be near us.
Kubinyi notes that while some people do anthropomorphize their pets, most dog owners are deeply aware of their animals’ unique, species-specific needs. Still, the bond that forms can be intense and intimate. In a time of social fragmentation and digital disconnection, a dog’s unconditional presence can feel like the most honest relationship in the room.
And maybe that’s part of the shift. People aren’t choosing dogs instead of children—they’re choosing dogs in a world where the path to traditional family life feels unstable or not even worth the tradeoff. They’re choosing comfort, simplicity, and a love that expects little but gives a lot.
For those who’ve felt that bond, the idea that it’s somehow “less than” parenting misses the point entirely. Some of us care for our dogs with the kind of heart-cracking devotion that comes from knowing they won’t be here long—and wanting to give them everything while they are.
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