- Germany has the most dogs of any EU country. Its dog population reached 10.5 million in 2024.
- Poland has more dogs than Spain despite having more residents. It has 8.28 million dogs to Spain’s 6.96 million dogs.
- Hungary has the EU’s highest rate of dogs per capita. It reaches roughly 291 dogs per 1,000 people. That rate is 2.3 times Germany’s rate of 126 dogs per 1,000 people.
- A country’s total dog population mostly reflects how many people live there. Its dogs-per-capita rate reflects how likely each household is to own a dog.
Dog Population Across EU Countries
| Rank | Country | Dog Population (2024) | Dogs per 1,000 People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 10,500,000 | 126 |
| 2 | France | 9,700,000 | 141 |
| 3 | Italy | 9,000,000 | 153 |
| 4 | Poland | 8,282,000 | 227 |
| 5 | Spain | 6,962,000 | 142 |
| 6 | Romania | 4,258,000 | 224 |
| 7 | Portugal | 3,071,000 | 286 |
| 8 | Hungary | 2,773,000 | 291 |
| 9 | Czechia | 2,229,000 | 204 |
| 10 | Belgium | 2,085,000 | 175 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 1,667,000 | 92 |
| 12 | Slovakia | 1,436,000 | 265 |
| 13 | Sweden | 1,155,000 | 109 |
| 14 | Austria | 836,000 | 91 |
| 15 | Finland | 798,000 | 142 |
| 16 | Croatia | 778,000 | 201 |
| 17 | Bulgaria | 729,000 | 113 |
| 18 | Greece | 649,000 | 62 |
| 19 | Denmark | 618,000 | 103 |
| 20 | Ireland | 563,000 | 103 |
| 21 | Lithuania | 312,000 | 108 |
| 22 | Slovenia | 305,000 | 143 |
| 23 | Latvia | 274,000 | 148 |
| 24 | Estonia | 254,000 | 185 |
| 25 | Cyprus | 179,000 | 183 |
| 26 | Malta | 100,000 | 174 |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 47,000 | 69 |
Source: FEDIAF (2024)
Dog population figures come from FEDIAF’s national association members where a country has one. For EU countries without a national association member, FEDIAF estimated figures using each country’s 2023 published numbers and its average pets per household. Soulor Consulting then reviewed all figures for consistency.
The EU counts roughly 69.6 million dogs across its 27 member states. Three countries alone account for more than four in ten of them.
Dogs-per-1,000-people figures are calculated separately, using FEDIAF’s dog population data and Eurostat’s population figures for 1 January 2025.
Germany Has the Largest Dog Population of Any EU Country
Germany’s dog population reached 10.5 million in 2024. France counted 9.7 million dogs. Italy counted 9 million dogs.
Most Popular Dog Breeds in Germany ->
Population plays a part in the number of dogs in a country. Germany is the EU’s most populous country. It counted about 83.6 million residents as of January 2025.
France has the EU’s second-largest population. Italy follows as the third most populous EU country.
Germany, France, and Italy do not have unusually high dog-ownership rates. None of the three ranks among the EU’s ten highest countries in dogs per 1,000 people.
Population size explains their totals, not an unusually high ownership rate.
Poland Has a Larger Dog Population Than Spain Despite Far Fewer People
Poland’s dog population reaches 8.28 million. Spain counts 6.96 million dogs.
Spain counted about 49.1 million residents in January 2025. Poland counted about 36.5 million residents. That gap comes to roughly 12.6 million more people in Spain.
Population size alone would predict more dogs in Spain, not fewer.This is because Poland’s dog ownership rate per resident is far higher than Spain’s.
A dogs-per-capita rate corrects for the population gap. It counts the number of dogs for every 1,000 people in a country.
Poland’s dogs-per-capita rate reaches about 227 dogs per 1,000 people. Spain’s dogs-per-capita rate reaches about 142 dogs per 1,000 people.
Hungary Has the EU’s Highest Dogs-Per-Capita Rate
Hungary and two other countries have the EU’s highest rate of dogs per 1,000 people:
- Hungary: 291 dogs
- Portugal: 286 dogs
- Slovakia: 265 dogs
Hungary has one of the EU’s highest shares of single-family housing. About 65% of Hungarian dog owners consider their dog a family member.
Hungary’s government also recognizes nine native dog breeds as official cultural heritage items, called Hungarikums.
Germany’s dogs-per-capita rate reaches only about 126 dogs per 1,000 people. That rate ranks 18th among the EU’s 27 countries in dogs per 1,000 people. Germany’s total dog population is still the largest in the EU.
Germany also taxes dog ownership through a municipal dog tax. Cities created this tax partly to limit how many dogs they have.
A country’s total dog population depends mainly on how many people live there. Its dogs-per-capita rate depends. It reflects how likely each household is to keep a dog.
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References
- https://europeanpetfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FEDIAF_Annual-Report_2026_WEBv1.1.pdf
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tps00001/default/table
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20210521-1
- https://trademagazin.hu/en/a-kutya-a-magyaroknal-is-teljes-jogu-csaladtag-lett/
- https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/culture_society/hungarian-dog-breeds-hungarikums-international-dog-day/
- https://www.welcome-center-germany.com/post/pet-tax-hundesteuer-in-germany
