Uh oh. Are dog mamas pushovers? According to a new study conducted by furniture company Joybird, women are more lenient with the freedom they give to dogs in the home than men tend to be.
In the study, 286 people were asked where their pet is allowed to sleep. The most popular response, from 39.6% of the respondents, was “in bed with me.” Of that group, 62% of those surveyed were women, while only 38% were men. Additionally, men were much more likely to make their pets sleep outside. Of the 6.3% of respondents who stated their pets slept outdoors, 60% were men and 40% were women.
Another telling aspect of the survey was the likelihood for male pet owners versus female pet owners to allow their animals on the furniture. In that category, women were 66% more likely to let pets hang out on the couch while only 54% of men allowed the same behavior.
So, what does it all mean? Do women prefer animals in bed because they like to snuggle more? Do men prefer pets outside because they like having a good watch-dog? Do women accept pets on the couch because they’re less strict than men, or are they more OK with cleaning up the fur they shed afterwards? Are women simply more affectionate — or more lackadaisical — pet owners? We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.