UK Dog Owners Reach Over 50% of Daily Steps Target by Walking Their Pets
UK dog owners achieve around 52% of their recommended daily steps by walking their pets, according to new data from pet care rewards app Biscuit. This analysis, which looked at the walking habits of over 330,000 dogs across the UK over the past 12 months, found that owners of certain breeds surpass this average, with some achieving up to 60% of their daily step target through dog walks alone.
Insights from the Pet Wellness Study
The study highlights that Siberian Huskies are walked the furthest each day, averaging 4.8km. This distance accounts for 60% of their owners’ daily step target and is 17% more than the UK’s average daily dog walk distance of 4.1km. German Shepherd Dog Cross and German Shepherd Dogs follow closely, with average daily walks of 4.71km and 4.65km, covering 59% and 58% of their owners’ step targets, respectively.
In contrast, Yorkshire Terriers rank at the bottom of Biscuit’s top-30 scale, averaging 2.9km per day. Despite this, they still account for more than a third (36%) of their owners’ recommended daily steps.
City Comparisons: Glasgow Leads the Pack
Among the UK's largest cities, Glaswegians lead in daily dog walking distances, averaging 4.10km per day, which is 51% of their daily step target. This figure, however, falls slightly short of the UK average of 4.13km. Glasgow dog walkers do exceed the national average walking pace, clocking in at 2.41km/h, which is 6% faster than the UK average of 2.27km/h.
In Leeds, dog owners walk their pets an average of 3.79km daily, at a pace of 1.99km/h. Sheffield and Birmingham tie for third place in distance, with an average of 3.76km per day. However, Brummies walk faster, averaging 2.19km/h compared to Sheffielders’ 2.09km/h.
London’s dog owners rank ninth among the top ten cities, with a daily average of 3.4km, 17% below the UK norm. Bristol completes the top ten, with dog walkers averaging 3.3km daily, 21% less than the national average.
Claire Greenyer, co-founder of Biscuit, said, “Owning a dog is clearly a tonic for good health, with daily dog walks accounting for over half of a person’s recommended daily steps. It’s also important to make sure dogs get the exercise they need each day to stay healthy. Biscuit rewards owners for walking their pets, with vouchers for money off at retailers like Asda, Amazon, and Tails.com. It means each walk isn’t just an endorphin rush for pet and owner, but it’s cash in the pocket. Some owners have reached over £500 in value over the last year. What’s not to love?”
