We collected the most-cited numbers on dog walking, leash safety and driving with dogs, each with its original source and year, so you can quote them accurately. Several of the best-known car-travel figures come from a survey run more than a decade ago; we say so where it applies.
Key statistics at a glance
| Statistic | Source (year) |
|---|---|
| About 68 million U.S. households own a dog, up from 65.1 million in the previous survey. | APPA National Pet Owners Survey (2025) |
| Dog owners had 4.1 times the odds of meeting the 150 minutes/week physical-activity guideline compared with people without a dog. | Westgarth et al., Scientific Reports (2019) |
| Dog owners walked their dogs a median of 220 minutes per week. | Westgarth et al., Scientific Reports (2019) |
| An estimated 32,624 fractures in Americans aged 65+ were linked to walking leashed dogs between 2004 and 2017. | Pirruccio, Yoon & Ahn, JAMA Surgery (2019) |
| Those emergency visits rose from about 1,671 in 2004 to 4,396 in 2017; 78.6% of patients were women and the hip was the most common single fracture site (17.3%). | Pirruccio, Yoon & Ahn, JAMA Surgery (2019) |
| Only 16% of dog owners who drive with their dog use any form of restraint. | AAA & Kurgo survey (2011) |
| 83% agree an unrestrained dog in a moving car can be dangerous. | AAA & Kurgo survey (2011) |
| 29% admit being distracted by their dog while driving; 52% have petted their dog while driving and 17% have let it sit on their lap. | AAA & Kurgo survey (2011) |
| 56% of respondents drove with their dog at least once a month. | AAA & Kurgo survey (2011) |
| In a test with 23 shelter dogs, a flat martingale collar produced more pulling than a harness, a Starmark collar or a prong collar; the three did not differ significantly from each other. | Johnson & Wynne, PeerJ (2024) |
| As of 2017, no U.S. state required dogs to be restrained in cars; Hawaii was the only state that specifically barred driving with an animal in your lap. | Stateline / Pew (2017) |
Dog walking
A UK community study of 385 households found dog owners were four times as likely to reach recommended activity levels, largely through walking their dogs (median 220 minutes a week). Dog ownership in the U.S. keeps growing, with about 68 million dog-owning households in 2025, so walking gear is used by more people, more often.
Practical takeaway: for longer or daily walks, comfort for the handler matters as much as for the dog. See whether a hands-free leash suits you and how long a dog leash should be.
Leash safety
Using national emergency-department data (NEISS), researchers found fall-related fractures among people 65 and older while walking leashed dogs more than doubled between 2004 and 2017. A separate 2024 study found dogs pulled more on a flat martingale collar than on a harness, although it was a small sample of shelter dogs and the authors caution against generalising.
Practical takeaway: reduce sudden jerks with a well-fitted harness and a leash length that suits the place you walk. Read what actually helps with pulling and front-clip vs back-clip harnesses, and check fit with our dog harness size chart.
Driving with dogs
The most widely quoted car-travel numbers come from a 2011 AAA and Kurgo survey: most owners agreed an unrestrained dog is dangerous, yet only 16% used a restraint, and nearly a third admitted being distracted by their dog. These figures are now more than a decade old; we will replace them as soon as a comparable newer survey is published. Rules on restraining pets vary by state and country, so check your local laws.
Practical takeaway: keep dogs out of the driver’s lap and footwell with a seat belt tether or a back-seat setup. Our dog car seat cover and seat belt guide and road-trip checklist cover the basics.
Use these statistics
Sources
- American Pet Products Association, 2025 National Pet Owners Survey, as reported by Petfood Industry.
- Westgarth C, et al. “Dog owners are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than people without a dog.” Scientific Reports 9, 5704 (2019). PMC6473089
- Pirruccio K, Yoon YM, Ahn J. “Fractures in Elderly Americans Associated With Walking Leashed Dogs.” JAMA Surgery 154(5):458–459 (2019). PMC6537776
- AAA & Kurgo, Pet Passenger Safety Survey (2011), summarised by Kurgo and Stateline.
- Johnson EA, Wynne CDL. “Comparing efficacy in reducing pulling and welfare impacts of four types of leash walking equipment.” PeerJ 12:e18131 (2024). PeerJ
- “Distracted Dogging: Legal in Most States, Controversial in All.” Stateline (2017).
