China’s pet owners splurge on preschools to pamper puppies

[SHANGHAI] A new kind of preschool in China offers games, nibbles, treadmills and music for puppies, clawing out a fast-growing niche in a booming industry.

This comes as youthful owners spend more on pets, increasingly being regarded as family.

The pets arrive by 9 am each day at Paw3, which bills itself as a kindergarten for dogs in the commercial hub of Shanghai.

The establishment provides tightly scheduled activities for the canines, rather than strict training or age limits.

The pets follow a routine of interactive games and obstacle courses – interspersed with freshly made snacks and naps as a pianist plays classical music – and can stroll on a special treadmill built for dogs before their owners pick them up around 7 pm.

“We raise our dog like a child,” said Qian Yi, whose one-year-old border collie, Harry, visits every weekday.

As declining birth rates alter lifestyles, pets are increasingly treated as members of the family, driving growth in higher-value services such as daycare, grooming and training.

Their popularity stems from broader structural shifts in China’s consumer economy. Younger, urban consumers prioritise spending on experiences and emotional fulfillment, despite a softening in overall demand.

Qian estimated that she spends about 4,000 yuan (S$757) each month on her dog for daycare, meals, grooming, swimming and visits to dog parks.

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Pet Data, a China-based industry research company, estimated that the market for urban pet consumption reached 312.6 billion yuan in 2025, and is on track to exceed 405 billion yuan by 2028.

Paw3 founder Jann Zhang said the idea came to him after a struggle to find help for his six-year-old golden retriever, Fuzai, who developed anxiety-related behavioural problems.

His search led him to discover dog daycare equivalents in the US, and he came to believe the main issue was a lack of socialisation.

“I was hoping to give my own dog more space to be social, so I could distract his attention,” Zhang said. “That’s how the idea of opening the kindergarten came about.”

His clientele has grown to 200 since it started with fewer than 20, and owners pay daily sums ranging from 98 to 138 yuan, going by the size of the dog.

“What attracts me most about the place is that it gives dogs a space of their own,” said William Tang, whose one-year-old border collie, Cinderella, has attended the kindergarten since it opened in May 2025. REUTERS