Viral Post: Bengaluru Couple Spends ₹15,000 on Pet Dog, ‘DINKWAD’ Trend Sparks Debate

A Bengaluru-based 'DINKWAD' (Double Income, No Kids, With A Dog) couple's monthly pet expenditure of ₹12,000-₹15,000 has highlighted a growing consumer trend. This segment prioritises trust and quality over price for pet care, viewing their pets with high emotional importance. 

A Bengaluru-based couple's spending habits for their pet dog have prompted an internet conversation after a company founder revealed how urban, dual-income households prioritise pet care above personal costs.

In a LinkedIn post , GoQuest creator Gagan Arora reported visiting a "DINKWAD" (Double Income, No Kids, With A Dog) pair in Indiranagar, where both spouses work in technology, have no children, and own a Golden Retriever. During his visit, Arora saw quality pet supplies throughout the home, including a ₹2,400 bag of dog food, probiotic pills, and grooming subscription boxes. The dog even got its own fridge shelf with pre-portioned, marked food, he said.

According to Arora, the couple spends between ₹12,000 and ₹15,000 per month on their pet, which includes food, grooming, doctor appointments, toys, and treats. "I enquired how much they spent on their own food. They laughed. "Probably less," he said.

Pet Care Expenditure Increasing

Arora related the habit to a growing customer category called DINKWAD (Double Income, No Kids, With A Dog), which he claimed was highlighted during a Market Research Society of India webinar.

“The researchers described them as time-poor, resource-rich, and unwilling to compromise on care. They don’t comparison shop. They don’t wait for a sale. They read ingredient labels on their dog’s food with more scrutiny than they give their own cereal box,” he said, adding that while most Indian consumers are highly price-sensitive, pet owners in this category are more willing to spend without hesitation.

Arora argued that the distinction rests in emotional importance. “When you shop for yourself, you focus on pricing. When you purchase something you care about that cannot buy itself, you optimise for trust. The transition from price-first to trust-first alters everything about unit economics.” He wrote, "The customer converts faster."

The trend is also reflected in industry growth. Arora said that pet care firms are drawing substantial investment, with startups raising millions and larger corporations joining the market. He provided examples of quickly increasing companies and huge organisations entering the market, indicating that the rise is not a transitory fad but a shift in customer behaviour.

Take A Look At The Post

He added that this shift has made pet care one of the fastest-growing segments in India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) space, with high repeat purchases and long-term customer retention.

Social Media Reactions

The post encouraged numerous people to express their comparable experiences and thoughts.

"That's true: we prefer to spend less on ourselves, but when it comes to someone close to us, we focus on the product, not the price, whether it's your pet or a loved one," a user told me.

"Not having a child is a significant factor here. It frees up more funds while raising the emotional relevance of the pet to the 'parents'," added another.

"The true moat here is not product. It's the emotional switching cost once trust is established," a third person commented.

“We are that couple. Our dog eats organic food while we eat basic food. Don't even ask about the amount spent on medicines and vets. He has more toys that I had ever combined. And even then we only feel we are doing less for him,” shared one user.