The ways we all approach our best pet paw’renting!

Paws for thought

Pet parents come in all shapes, sizes and types as a new survey has found on how people treat their pets.

Experts probed the way the country’s dog and cat owners interact with their furry friends and found almost three quarters (66 per cent) admitted they would fit into a particular parenting style when it comes to paw’renting.

But while the nation’s kids are brought up by ‘Helicopter’ parents and ‘Tiger’ mums, the study by pet wellbeing firm ITCHpet.com found our nation’s pets are more likely to experience pet paw’renting alternatives such as the ‘Traffic Light’, the ‘Entranced’, the ‘Sloth’ and the ‘Constable’.

Other popular methods have been identified as the ‘Hy-Paw-Chondriac’, the ‘Goose’, the ‘Pinot Noir’ and the ‘Sergeant Major’, with the ‘Paws-off Parent’, and the ‘Baggage Handler’ completing the top ten of most typical pet paw’renting styles based on feedback from more than 1,800 UK pet parents.

The experts view

Top pet behavioural expert Professor Peter Neville, who worked with pet well-being specialists ITCHpet.com said “pet parent personas” have become more common in line with our growing desire to humanize pets to ensure they feel like one of the family”.

Prof Neville added: “It’s fascinating to discover that there are clearly different categories or “personas” when it comes to pet paw’renting.

Paw'renting types

“The ‘Traffic Light’ is the clear winner from the data we’ve analysed, with 28 per cent of pet parents adopting this style, which is good. It shows most pet parents are sensitive, caring owners.

“Traffic Light’ pet owners have a healthy balance of rules and freedom.