Chinese dog owners race for glory and health

Dog owners and their pooches are skipping through car tires and crawling under nets together at a dog trail race in Shanghai.

Dog trail racing, which sees people and their dogs navigate off-road obstacle courses in tandem, is becoming increasingly popular in China, where pet ownership and the pursuit of more active lifestyles are both on the rise.

For many participants, dog trail races aren't just recreational activities, but also a way to strengthen the bond between themselves and their four-legged friends.

"Initially, I would only go to the gym and run to lose weight. But after having a dog, my dog and exercise have become parts of my life that can’t be ignored," said participant Hong Feiwen, who secured a third place win with his border collie Yaoyao.

Chen Yi, the founder of LetsDog which hosts monthly dog races that draw over 100 participants each time, says pet events have been gaining traction in recent years, prompting them to organise even more niche races for popular dog breeds, such as samoyeds and corgis.

“Originally, we had experience organising this type of sports event for humans. (But) we think that right now, from a commercial perspective, the pet market is a better, new consumption track ... it's currently booming,” Chen said.

While consumer spending in China has remained tepid overall in the face of a prolonged property sector downturn and broad macroeconomic uncertainty, both the pet and sports markets are bright spots, said founder of research and strategy consultancy ApertureChina Yaling Jiang.

China’s outdoor sports market is predicted to be valued at 241 billion yuan ($33 billion) by 2025 according to official estimates, and China’s domestic pet consumption market reached a value of 279 billion yuan ($39 billion) in 2023, growing 3.2% year-on-year, according to state media.

Pet-related consumption shows strong resilience and growth potential, with a 2023 report from UBS Evidence Lab finding nearly 80% of Chinese pet owners maintained or increased their spending on pets after the pandemic.

“Chinese pet owners are definitely looking for opportunities to keep spending on their pets, because maybe many of them don’t have babies, so they think of their 'fur babies' as their own children,” Jiang said. - Report from Reuters

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