Computers claw into dogs' domain

London: Personal computers are fast taking over the place of human beings' long-time best friend, the family dog, a British study has found.

Researchers have found just six per cent of us believe that "most people rely more on their dog than they do on their PC," while 67 per cent think the opposite to be true.

Even 38 per cent of dog owners confessed to relying more on their PC than on their dog, although 36 per cent disagreed. And 71 per cent of 18- to 24-year-old dog owners said they relied more on their computer, the Daily Mail reported.

According to Paul Allen, editor of Computeractive magazine, which carried out the poll with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said: "With broadband bringing them global news and newspaper sales falling, the family dog even misses out on the pleasure of taking the paper to his owner."

The researchers talked to 2,000 British adults. They found that male dog owners are almost twice as likely as female owners to rely on their computer than a canine companion.