Celebrating Women in the Dog World: International Women’s Day

7 Mar

International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate the achievements of women across every industry, and the dog world is no exception! From veterinary surgeons to dog groomers, women play a huge role in the care and wellbeing of dogs across the UK.

This weekend, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the incredible women who make up so much of our dog community.

Women Leading the Way in Veterinary Care

Veterinary medicine in the UK has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades. What was once a male-dominated profession is now largely led by women.

Today, women make up around 65% of veterinary surgeons registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and in younger generations the numbers are even higher. In fact, around 80% of current veterinary students are female, meaning the profession will continue to become increasingly female-led in the years ahead.

The growth has been dramatic when you look at the long-term picture. In 1960, only around 5% of vets were women, but by 2018 this had risen to over 60%, and by 2021 estimates suggested around 77% of vets were female.

Despite this huge shift in the workforce, women are still less likely to own or co-own veterinary practices compared to their male counterparts, highlighting that there is still progress to be made when it comes to leadership roles within the profession.

Sources: British Veterinary Association (BVA), Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), Veterinary Women.

Women Working Across the Dog Care Industry

While there are fewer official statistics for other dog related professions, it’s clear to anyone working in the industry that many pet care services are largely female led.

Dog walkers, dog trainers, groomers and dog daycare providers are all professions where women make up a large proportion of the workforce. Broader pet care industry studies suggest that around 60% of professional dog walkers are female, although many in the industry (including me) suspect the true figure may be much higher.

As a female dog walker myself, I’m proud to be part of this community. Running a dog walking business involves cold mornings, muddy fields, lots of organisation and a huge amount of responsibility, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to spend each day caring for dogs and building relationships with their owners.

The growth of female-led pet businesses has also helped create supportive networks of professionals who collaborate, refer clients and share knowledge to improve the standards of care for dogs.

The Role of Female Dog Owners

Women don’t just dominate many pet care professions, they also make up a large proportion of dog owners themselves.

Large UK studies show that dog owners are significantly more likely to be female, with 73.5% of respondents in the National Dog Survey identifying as women.

Research also suggests that women are often the primary caregivers for dogs within households. This highlights the important role women play not only in professional dog care but also in everyday dog ownership, from training and exercise to veterinary care and enrichment.

Across the UK, there are over 10 million dogs living in households, meaning millions of women are involved in caring for dogs every day!

National Dog Survey: Describing UK Dog and Ownership Demographics

A Community Built Around Dogs

One of the best things about working with dogs is the community that surrounds them. Dog parks, training classes and local pet services all bring together people who share a love for animals.

Women are at the heart of that community - whether it’s the dog trainer who is recommending her puppy class clients to me for dog walks, the local dog park owner who loves to collab on social media, or the many other wonderful women dog walking in my hometown, these are all women dedicating their time to giving your dogs the happiest lives possible.