Mumbai :  Far from being a ‘man’s’ best friend, it’s women who go barking mad for their dogs on holiday. Female dog owners miss their pets more than their partners, friends or family when they are away, reveals leading global travel search site Skyscanner.

Skyscanner surveyed over 1000 dog owners and found that, while men would miss their partner the most if they were on holiday without them, with 37% putting them top, women don’t return the favour. Only 21% of women polled said they’d miss their partner most with 37% putting their favourite pooch first.

And the canine craze doesn’t end there. Dog owners go to great lengths to keep in touch with their pet while on holiday. As many as 40% have called or texted from holiday to check that Fido is OK, while 14% have admitted to ‘chatting’ to their dog by phone so that it can hear their voice, while 5% have taken it further and had a holiday Skype ‘conversation’ with their dog. For those favouring a more traditional touch, 6% have put pen to paper to write their dog a postcard.

The survey also reveals many travellers feel ruff when it comes to jetting off abroad without their four legged friend, with 22% of holidaymakers taking a photo of their pooch on holiday.  A shocking 3% of dog owners admit to having cut their hard earned holiday short and returned home early as they missed their dog too much.

With owners not wanting to be separated from their beloved pets, it’s perhaps not surprising that over half of holidaymakers plan breaks with their pets in mind to ensure they aren’t left at home. One in five dedicated dog owners have never been away without them and 20% claim the company of any pet would make for the pawfect companion on holiday, more so than their own children and even their friends.

Kavitha Gnanamurthy, Skyscanner’s Market Development Manager for India, commented, “Our survey adds a twist to the proverbial saying which is ‘a dog is man’s best friend’ as our survey proves otherwise. Dogs are also considered as part of one’s family thus it’s understandable that women would miss them when away on holiday.”

Source :  Rohini Saldanha