Why China’s millennials are spending RM2,4000 a month sending their dogs to ‘school’

SHANGHAI, June 16 — 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 as youthful owners spend more on pets increasingly regarded as family.

Pets arrive by ​9am each day at Paw³, which bills itself as a kindergarten for dogs in the commercial hub of Shanghai, providing tightly scheduled activities for the canines, rather than strict training or age limits.

They 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 doggie treadmill before their owners pick them up around 7pm.

“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 fulfilment, ⁠despite a softening in overall ⁠demand.

Qian estimated that she spends about CNY4,000 yuan (RM2,394) each month on her dog for daycare, meals, grooming, swimming and visits to dog parks.

Pet Data, a China-based industry research firm, estimates the market ⁠for urban pet consumption reached CNY312.6 billion in 2025, and was on track to exceed 405 billion 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 United States 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 CNY98 yuan to CNY138, according ​to 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