Sign up
Subscribe to our Blind-Spot Monitor newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week Subscribe to our Blind-Spot Monitor newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week Sign up now>

Are Millennials buying SUVS just to fit their dogs?

September is Responsible Dog Ownership Month, but let’s face it: the pooch gets priority year-round

Coleman Molnar
Sep 27, 2021  •  October 1, 2021  •  1 minute read  •  Join the conversation
Doggo
We love our dogs, but cleaning up our cars after them can sometimes be a challenge. Photo by Supplied /iStock.com via Getty Images

Forget “family-haulers,” when it comes time to buy a new vehicle, a number of Millennials may be looking for something suitable for just one particular member of their household: their dog. 

Story continues below

According to search stats provided by online car marketplace and delivery platform Canada Drives , SUV searches are up 10.4 per cent versus other vehicle types, and up 381 per cent overall, quarter over quarter. 

This, in combination with stats on the increase in dog adoption rates (namely that Millennials now make up a whopping 31 per cent of pet owners and that the pandemic saw adoption requests increase to up to 400 applications per dog ) and some strong anecdotal evidence, is enough to convince Canada Drives co-CEO and founder Cody Green that the Millennials are willing to put their money where their mouths are — or at least where there dogs are. Canada Drives also cites a whitepaper that suggests 80 per cent of Millennials plan to purchase a vehicle in the next five years. 

Story continues below

And because September is Responsible Dog Ownership Month and we are a car publication, this is something worth noting.

More On This Topic

  1. These are our 5 picks for the most dog-friendly rides on the market

    These are our 5 picks for the most dog-friendly rides on the market

  2. Ruff Night: Wisconsin man claims dog crashed his Jeep

    Ruff Night: Wisconsin man claims dog crashed his Jeep

“We had a customer this past week who had gotten a puppy last Summer and at the time her small car was working great,” says Cody Green, co-CEO and founder of Canada Drives. “That puppy grew into a full size dog and she recently traded in her car for an SUV. She was really excited to have her new vehicle dropped off and the dog jumped right in the back seat immediately.”

Obviously this isn’t hard science tying dog ownership with SUV purchasing among this or any age group, but it is an interesting correlation. 

What do you think? Are we all just driving Daisy ? Do you have pets? And if so, how important is their comfort in your vehicle purchasing decision? 

Trending