BARK Survey Reveals 7 in 10 Dog Parents Will Miss Their Dog When They Return to Work; Far Fewer Will Miss Their Spouse or Children

The Original BARK Company (NYSE: BARK) (“BARK”), the company behind BarkBox, today revealed findings from a new survey of American dog parents on how their relationships with their dogs have grown, as well as their feelings about returning to the office and what barriers exist when it comes to bringing their dogs to the office. According to the American Pet Products Association¹, consumers spent $103.6 billion on pets in the U.S. in 2020, due in large part to the pandemic’s stay-at-home orders and increase in dog adoptions across the country. BARK’s survey speaks to dog parents across the U.S., determining the main stressors about returning to the office and identifying how employers can help with the transition.

Dog and dog parent relationships strengthened during the pandemic

• Seven in 10 (70%) dog parents report that their relationship with their dogs grew stronger due to the pandemic. This is significantly more than those who say the same about their relationships with their spouses (49%), their kids (39%), their friends (31%), or their parents (28%).
• Women are significantly more likely than men to report they leaned on their dog for emotional support (36% vs. 26%) and spent more time with their dog (50% vs. 41%) this past year than ever before.
• Men are more likely than women to report that they grew closer to their spouse during the pandemic (52% vs 45%), and equal numbers of men and women assert their relationship with their dog grew stronger (71% and 70%).
• About 1 in 3 dog parents report that they relied on their dog over the last year to keep them company (33%) and for emotional support (30%) more than they ever have.
• Dog parents say that they grew closer to their dogs because of the pandemic (73% who returned to work, 70% of those still working from home and 69% of those who never worked from home).

Dog parents are skeptical about returning to the office with and without their dog

• About Seven in 10 (71%) dog parents who are still working from home believe they will miss their dog. This is significantly more than those who report they will miss their spouse (42%) or children (39%) when they return to the workplace.
  • About 3 in 4 (72%) dog parents who have already returned to work miss their dog while they are back at the office. This is greater than those who miss the savings from not commuting (37%), their partner (39%), or children (35%).
• About 1 in 3 (32%) dog parents believe that they would be happier and less stressed at work if they had their dog with them, and 28% feel that their life would be more convenient if they had this option.
• About 1 in 4 (24%) dog parents who’ve returned to the office check their dog camera during working hours.
• One in 5 (20%) dog parents shared that they’d be more productive at work if they had their dog with them.

Dog parents are more likely to want benefits for their dogs than their children and seek workplaces that are dog-friendly