- So, how many dogs are there in the world?
- World Population Day
- How many humans are in the world?
- How many people own a dog worldwide?
- How many dog breeds are there in the world?
- Dog breeds around the world
- Lesser-known but still adorable four-legged heart breeds
- How many dogs are looking for a family worldwide?
- The Importance of Adopting Dogs and Cats
On the occasion of World Population Day, we focus on our beloved four-legged friends with the ambitious goal of understanding together with you how many dogs exist in the world.
So, how many dogs are there in the world?
How many furry companions brighten the lives of families in Italy and around the world? And how many hearts are still searching for a loving family to welcome them?
World Population Day seemed like the perfect occasion to take stock of both the human population and the canine population worldwide.
How many humans inhabit planet Earth?
World Population Day
On July 11, we celebrate World Population Day, an event aimed at raising awareness of issues concerning the global population.
This Day was established in 1989 on the recommendation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and was inspired by the so-called ‘Five Billion Day’, marking the moment when the global population reached five billion.
It was July 11, 1987, and today, World Population Day is a commemorative day promoted by the United Nations, which selects a different theme each year, focusing on topics ranging from resilient futures to the role of women in society, and even inequalities in global health.
So, let’s start from here to understand how many humans and how many four-legged hearts exist in the world.
How many humans are in the world?
Regarding the global population, there are no exact numbers on how many people inhabit planet Earth.
The United Nations states that it took hundreds of thousands of years for the world’s population to reach one billion, but in just another 200 years, it grew sevenfold!
In 2011, the world’s population reached 7 billion, and in 2021, it was projected to grow to 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.9 billion by 2100.
According to the US Census Bureau, on January 1, 2024, a historic milestone was reached, as the world’s population officially surpassed eight billion.
The data comes from the United States’ national population census service, which reports that the global population increased by 75 million in 2023, bringing the total number of humans worldwide to 8 billion.
And since our pets mean as much to us as people do, today’s question is: what are the statistics on the canine population worldwide? In other words, how many dogs are in the world?
“Hmm… let’s see how many furry friends like me are out there.”
Even when it comes to the canine population in the world, there are no precise numbers.
According to the Dogster portal, the world’s dog population amounts to 900 million furry hearts spread across the globe.
And how many dogs live in Italy?
The Pet Registry (an institution that records the population of dogs, cats, and ferrets with microchips) reports that as of mid-June 2024, there were 14.437.211 registered dogs.
The kitten population in Italy, as of the date we are writing this article, amounts to 1.379.784 kittens, while ferrets are 2.677, for a total of 15.819.672 registered animals.
However, these figures do not precisely answer the question of how many dogs exist in Italy because, unfortunately, they do not account for all the stray hearts and unregistered dogs.
Every furry heart deserves the love of a family.
How many people own a dog worldwide?
We’ve seen how many dogs exist in the world—around 900 million. The next question is: what is the proportion of dogs to humans worldwide?
Considering that the world population is 8 billion and the dog population is approximately 1 billion (rounded for convenience and due to lack of exact data), the ratio is 8 to 1, meaning one furry companion for every eight people on Earth.
There’s one furry friend for every eight humans in the world.
How many dogs are in Italy?
According to ISTAT, as of January 1, 2024, the resident population in Italy was 58.99 million people.
To determine how many dogs there are in proportion to Italians, we can be a bit more precise.
Let’s round the population data to 59 million inhabitants and 15 million dogs. If we divide the number of furry friends by the number of inhabitants, the result is 0.25 dogs per person, meaning we can estimate one microchipped pup for every four Italians.
How many families own a dog?
According to the Eurispes 2024 report, pet ownership in Italy is well-established, and pets have become full-fledged family members. The report highlights that many furry friends are rescued from the streets or adopted from shelters, which is great news!
In percentage terms, one in four Italians owns a pet (37.3%; +4.6% compared to 2023).
Just over 4 in 10 Italians who have a pet own a dog (41.8%), while almost 4 in 10 own a cat (37.7%).
As mentioned, furry friends are mostly rescued from the streets or adopted from shelters in 39.7% of cases, while in one in four cases (25%), they are purchased from stores or breeders. In one in five cases, they are given as gifts (20.8%).
Here come our furry friends! But how many breeds exist worldwide?
How many dog breeds are there in the world?
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognizes around 350 dog breeds worldwide, and Wikipedia provides a detailed alphabetical list.
The list also includes breeds recognized worldwide by organizations not affiliated with the FCI, as well as local dog breeds and variations that are either not officially recognized or in the process of recognition.
Additionally, there are some new breeds still being defined, referred to as “in development.”
Thankfully, our world is brightened by the presence of our four-legged friends.
Dog breeds around the world
We have created a table to highlight the most popular and well-known dog breeds worldwide and another one featuring less famous breeds—but still including many adorable furry friends that families choose to adopt and make part of their homes.
First, a note: In this case, we are discussing purebred dog populations, but we know that countless mixed-breed dogs live in homes and, unfortunately, also on the streets or in shelters.
Quantifying their numbers worldwide is impossible, but it’s always important to recognize their wonderful qualities, regardless of breed or lineage.
The most popular and well-known dog breeds worldwide and in Italy
| Golden Retriever | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Scotland | Companion dog, guide dog | Companion dog, therapy dog, guide dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Golden | Large |
| Labrador Retriever | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Hunting dog, assistance dog | Companion dog, service and water dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Yellow, Black, Chocolate | Large | Yuup! Products |
| Beagle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Hunting dog | Companion dog, search dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | |
| Tricolor and Bicolor (from black and brown to beige and white) | Medium-small |
| Pastore tedesco | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Germany | Herding dog, guard dog | Companion dog, police dog, search and rescue |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Black with red-brown or brown markings, or yellow to light gray. Solid black. Gray with darker shadese | Large | Yuup! Products |
| Yorkshire Terrier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Rat hunting dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | |
| Steel blue or dark from head to body, rich bright tan on chest | Small |
| Boxer | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Germany | Guard and hunting dog | Companion dog and defense dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | |
| From light fawn to dark deer red or brindle | Medium |
| Poodle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| France | Water hunting dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| White, Black, Brown, Apricot | Toy/Dwarf/ Medium/Large |
Yuup! Products |
| Cocker Spaniel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Hunting dog | Hunting dog, search dog, companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Solid color, multicolor, Tricolor, and Roan. Has 18 color and pattern variants | Medium | Yuup! Products |
| Jack Russel Terrier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Fox hunting dog | Companion dog, sporting dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| White, White and Brown | Small |
Lesser-known but still adorable four-legged heart breeds
| Akita | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Japan | Hunting dog, guard dog | Companion dog, guard dog |
| Varietà colore | Size | Link |
| Red, White, Brindle | Large | Yuup! Products |
| Siberian Husky | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Siberia | Sled dog | Companion dog, sport dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Black, Gray Agouti, Sable, Red and White | Medium | Yuup! Products |
| Dachshund | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Germany | Badger hunting dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Black and Tan, Red. Bright roan, dark to brown-black | Small | Yuup! Products |
| Border Collie | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| United Kingdom | Shepherd dog | Companion dog, shepherd dog, sport dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Black and White tricolor | Medium | Yuup! Products |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Switzerland | Working dog, guard dog | Companion dog, therapy dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Tricolor: jet black with intense rust and white spots | Large | Yuup! Products |
| French Bulldog | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| France | Companion dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| White, Black, Fawn | Small | Yuup! Products |
| Chihuahua | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Mexico | Companion dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| All colors except Merle | Small | Yuup! Products |
| Maltese | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Mediterranean | Companion dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| White, Pale ivory | Small | Yuup! Products |
| Neapolitan Mastiff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Italy | Guard dog | Companion dog, guard dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| Lead gray and Black, Mahogany, Fawn, Deer fawn | Large | Yuup! Products |
| Pomeranian | ||
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Past Role | Current Role |
| Germany | Companion dog | Companion dog |
| Color Varieties | Size | Link |
| White, Black, Brown, Orange or gray with all shades and color combinations | Small | Yuup! Products |
The data on the global canine population presented in the tables is taken from the official Enci website.
The tragedy of abandoned dogs searching for a home deserves all our attention and support.
How many dogs are looking for a family worldwide?
Sadly, the number of abandoned dogs is difficult to quantify.
This applies both to stray dogs in Italy and across the world.
To give an idea, Enpa reported that in July 2023 alone, the country reached a heartbreaking negative record: more than 127 animals were surrendered or abandoned every 24 hours.
This marks a 20% increase compared to the previous two summers, totaling 2.354 four-legged hearts left behind.
The 2024 Enpa campaign has just ended, with the National Day Against Abandonment held in 90 squares across Italy to raise awareness of this critical issue. This year’s campaign was called “No More Excuses“.
We truly hope it has brought more awareness and responsibility.
The endless tenderness in the eyes of this abandoned little cat.
How many cats are looking for a forever home?
Once again, our hearts ache at the thought that, despite Italy’s deep love for cats, Legambiente estimates that while there are between 10 and 15 million cats living in Italian homes, around 700,000 to 1,150,000 are part of registered feline colonies.
This means that over a million little cats are still searching for a home and a family to call their own.
Too many furry souls still risk their lives abandoned on the streets, too many are still waiting for a place to belong. Let’s help them with an act of love: adoption.
A gesture of love that gives life a new meaning.
The Importance of Adopting Dogs and Cats
Adoption is one of the greatest acts of love we can do in life.
At the same time, however, it is a choice that comes with responsibilities—ones that must be honored to ensure pets live healthy and happy lives.
An article on the HelpGuide.org portal discussing the importance of adopting dogs, cats, and other companion animals. The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs—a graphical representation of human needs, in our view, perfectly applies to our furry friends as well.
The pyramid consists of five levels, starting with the most basic needs and moving up to more complex ones:
- Physiological needs (food and water);
- Safety needs (having a welcoming and comfortable home where dogs and other animals can live peacefully);
- Belongingness needs (feeling part of a group, such as a family);
- Esteem needs (feeling appreciated and respected);
- Self-actualization needs (fulfilling personal aspirations, which, for pets, means enjoying a life filled with activities, affection, and unconditional love).
Meeting all these needs is essential to ensuring a fulfilling life for dogs, as well as for any other animal.
To conclude, we have explored how many dogs exist worldwide and recognized the significant gap between dogs in need and families that could welcome them.
We truly hope that more people will choose to adopt a pet—one that will brighten their lives with a love that can only be described as infinite.
And may that love always be returned responsibly, ensuring that dogs, cats, and all animals receive everything they need to live safe, healthy, and happy lives alongside their human companions.
