Which celebrity 'pet parent' are you? As scientists reveal all dog owners fall into 3 distinct categories, how stars and their pampered pooches stack up

From an F1 driver whose vegan dog travels by private jet to a chihuhua who's walked the red carpet at Cannes with his actress owner, some celebrity pets have far more glamorous lives than most mere mortals. 

But while celebrities like Lewis Hamilton and Demi Moore have the budget to spoil their furry friends, it turns out that stars are just like the rest of us in how they relate to their canine companions. 

A new study from Hungary of 800 people, published this week, which aimed to understand exactly what role dogs play in today's world, found that there are broadly three types of dog owners in the world.

Based on the findings, the researchers say that all dog owners fit into three distinct categories - the parent, the companion, and the friendly colleague. 

While the pet parent easily evokes images of Paris Hilton, whose penchant for cute chihuahuas and other toy breeds is a crucial part of her personal brand, the companion and the colleage are a little harder to spot. 

Here's how some of the world's best-known dog owners fit into these three categories.

THE PET PARENTS 

Paris Hilton, the OG 'dog mom' 

Paris Hilton was a 'dog mom' before Instagram popularised the phrase - so it's quite easy to slot her into the first category of pet owners. 

The heiress and DJ is known for owning several small dogs with names such as Peter Pan and Tinkerbell and last year mourned the loss of her chihuahua Harajuku B*tch who lived to the ripe old age of 23. 

'She was more than just a pet, she was family,' a grieving Hilton said at the time. 

Hilton, who is thought to have owned as many as 10 small canines at once, made the term 'purse dog' famous in the noughties when she starred in The Simple Life because she used to tote her small pets alongside her Hermes Birkin bags. 

And despite her ever-expanding litter, the entrepreneur lavishes each of her pooches with the same level of love, adoration, and designer treats - the hallmark of a good mother. 

Most ostentatiously, the mother-of-two built her dogs their very own mansion that was designed to look like a dog-sized replica of her own house. 

Sharing pictures of their luxe digs - that could put most London rentals to shame, Paris tweeted: 'My dogs live in this two-story doggy mansion that has air conditioning, heating, designer furniture, and a chandelier. Loves it.' 

According to the study conducted by researchers at the Eötvös Loránd University, dog parents like Paris tend to have a close, human-like bond with their pets and do not see them for practical functions. 

Paris usually favours smaller breeds like pomeranians and chihuahuas that are perfect for companionship and cuddles, but serve little functional benefits. 

Emilia Clarke: 'The Mother of Puppies' 

Does anything scream 'devoted dog mom' louder than a birthday party, complete with party hats, homemade cake, and personalised treats? 

Emilia Clarke has publicly embraced being a pet parent on social media several times since the Game of Thrones star introduced her adorable daschund Ted to the world in 2020. 

The Hungarian study found that 'dog parents' tend to have breeds like Vizslas, Boxers, or Daschunds like Ted - who Emilia has previously described as her 'main squeeze' and the 'light of my goddamn life'. 

When Ted is not busy tucking into birthday treats, he can usually be found on set with Emilia or cosying up with her in bed.

Lewis Hamilton: The ultimate doting dog dad

The Mercedes driver, who will be joining Ferrari next season, is the proud owner of a British Bulldog called Roscoe - who is a star in his own right, boasting more than one million followers on his own Instagram page.

According to his bio, the pup 'loves to travel, play ball and get attention from all the girls, especially when they rub my bum.'

Roscoe is also a vegan just like Hamilton, who made the switch to veganism in 2017 after being a pescatarian for a couple of years prior.

As well as travelling by private jet with his owner, the pampered pooch was even snapped supporting his owner's team by rolling around the Silverstone race track in his own Mercedes G-Wagon.

The black SUV even had his own private plate on it which read: 'R05 C0E'.

Both his parents are champion show dogs and Roscoe earns £530 per day from various modelling jobs.

Hamilton said: 'Roscoe is now part of a modelling agency and he has auditions, he will go up against ten or 15 different bulldogs.

'He gets paid $700 a day, it's ridiculous and he gets his treat, he loves it.'

THE FRIENDLY COLLEAGUE 

James Middleton 

The brother of the Princess of Wales, James Middleton's love affair with Ella - his beloved black cocker spaniel - is well documented. 

So profound was Ella's impact on James' life, the 37-year-old British entrepreneur named his dog food company after the 'matriarch of his pack' that comprises her descendants Zulu, Inka, Luna & Nala.

He is also a 'dog dad' to golden retrievers Mabel and Inka. 

Based on the recent research conducted in Hungary, which surveyed 800 dog owners, James fits best into the 'friendly colleague' category. 

These sorts of people tend to see their pet as a co-worker and security guard but also have a strong emotional tie to them. 

In James' case, Ella played a fundamental role in his treatment for depression and anxiety by being his emotional support dog.

In his book, 'Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life', James talks at length about how Ella, who sadly passed away in January 2023 at the age of 15, played a crucial role in his recovery.

The businessman, who founded the marshmallow business Boomf in 2013, explained that he was contemplating suicide at his London home in 2017 - but was distressed by the thought of what would happen to his beloved Ella if he died.

Looking back to one of his darkest periods on the Mail's Life of Bryony podcast, James explained: 'Even the things that I used to love I got no pleasure from and the one thing that I think got me out of that mindset was being outdoors, wherever it was, but with Ella and some of the dogs.

'I think I was watching them and I remember that was a wonderful thing - you could go for a walk and people weren't looking at you they were looking at that.'

His late dog Ella was also responsible for introducing James to his wife, the author revealed.

She approached Alizée in a bar and made herself comfortable next to the financial analyst, giving James the chance to pay her bill and leave a note with his telephone number.

Alizée sent James a message later that evening and the two met up soon after. The couple married in September 2021 and share one child, Inigo.

Ella also accompanied James to his therapy sessions and helped him become 'confident in understanding that I had a mental illness'

The Princess of Wales' younger brother has also launched his own dog food range Ella's Kitchen, making his love of dogs the centre of his working life, with the brand winning him the Pet Professional of the Year prize in 2021. 

At the same time, you can tell his brood means the absolute world to James, who loves them unconditionally and frequently posts about them on his Instagram account.  

Kendall Jenner, the 'model' dog owner 

Kendall Jenner once quipped she was practically 'raising her own model' when describing her relationship with her Dobermann Pinscher Pyro, who has appeared in a Bottega Veneta ad with her. 

Kendall, 29, first introduced Pyro to the world in 2018, with the reality TV star posting about him intermittently on social media. 

And while Kendall is believed to be fairly close to her pet, she probably wouldn't be considered as much of a dog mom as her younger sister Kylie - especially after she was called out for using a 'painful' pronged collar on him in 2019. 

Furious Twitter users accused Kendall of being 'gross' and 'cruel' for making her pet wear one at the time. 

It is likely Kendall, who has been spotted with her dog on multiple occasions, likely belongs to the second category of dog owners, those described by researchers as 'the friendly colleague'. 

This type of owner usually owns larger breeds such as German Shepherds and Dobermann's like Kendalls that make good guard dogs. 

Demi Moore: Has a clear favourite! 

The star of The Substance is a huge dog lover and shares her life with no fewer than nine canine companions. 

However, it seems that she has a more 'colleague-like' relationship with most of them, because they can't get a look in thanks to her beloved chihuahua, Pilaf.

While most celebrity pets live a life of excess, Pilaf stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The jet-setting show dog has accompanied her famous owner for prestigious red carpet appearances, fashion shows, and global sporting spectacles like the French Open.

Pilaf, named after the Indian rice dish, has been Demi's constant companion since 2021, when the Oscar-nominated star brought her home.

During their three years together, Pilaf has joined Demi on-board superyachts in the Med, posed poolside on the French Riviera for a swimwear shoot and soaked up the local colour on a Greek island tour.

'She is a treasure. She's like my little extra heart,' the Hollywood superstar recently said. 'I usually have her in a little sling. We go everywhere together.'

While Demi's relationship with the cream-coloured pup might push her into dog parent territory, one wonders how her other eight dogs must feel - living in Pilaf's tiny shadow.

THE COMPANION 

Joe Biden and his re-homed German Shepherds

The final category of dog owner is described as 'the companion' - those who keep their pets primarily for companionship but keep an emotional distance from them. 

The current US president Joe Biden likely falls in this group of people - estimated to be around 19.4 per cent of all dog owners. 

These owners usually tend to bring home breeds such as Cocker Spaniels and Labrador Retrievers, while President Biden is a fan of German Shepherds.

The primary 'First Dog' during his presidency was Commander, who was a birthday gift to the president from James and Sara Biden, his brother and sister-in-law.

He first came to the White House on December 20, 2021 as a replacement for Major – a five-year-old rescue German Shepherd from a shelter in Delaware. 

Major was removed from the White House after a string of aggressive incidents including biting Secret Service and National Park Service employees.

The Bidens had Major rehoused with friends saying that he was, by nature, a 'sweet dog' and citing the 'stress' of life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as the root of his aggression.

Commander kept Biden company as he recovered from Covid, however in October 2023, dailymail.com reported that Commander had also been removed from the White House after biting more than a dozen people. 

Then two years old, Commander bit people working in the executive residence, along with White House staffers. At least one person had to be treated at the hospital.

Do these categories matter?  

According to UK-based animal charity People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), it's important to be mindful that dogs have different needs to us - no matter what kind of owner you identify as. 

While it's natural to want to treat them like family, anthropomorphising - attributing human traits to them - can sometimes make it harder to truly meet their needs. 

'They communicate differently, and they aren't always comfortable with situations that people feel happy with,' PDSA veterinary communications officer, Emma Fisher told MailOnline.

'As pet owners we may not always pick up on cues our four-legged friends may be giving us. This can be difficult because, although we share a deep, close bond with dogs, we are different species and have different styles of communication!'

For example, while we may show affection to a loved one with a hug or a kiss, many dogs do not appreciate close physical contact like this, and may try to communicate subtle signs of stress that aren't always easy to pick up on.

Emma said these signs include yawning, lip licking, lifting a paw, looking away from us, or lying down with an exposed belly.

'If these subtle cues are missed, dogs may escalate their signals to more obvious signs of discomfort or anxiety, such as a stiffened body, intense staring, growling, or exposing their teeth.' 

However, the most important finding from the study is that 'the human-animal bond is stronger than ever,' according to Dr Edwina Gildea, Vet and Director of Veterinary Operations at Zoetis UK.

 'This very interesting new research into dog owner behaviours shows that while our approach to our furry friends can vary - with some seeing their dog as a pseudo-child, to others who keep a certain distance - the human-animal bond is stronger than ever.