I am still convinced the show takes place after WW3. Most of the 18-50 year old adults are gone. (The movies don’t count, ridiculous fan fiction) There is a spare population and not a lot of kids, and the ones we do see are being raised by their grandparent, are running a dog grooming business, and Ryder.

Ryder’s parents were likely involved in the dog augmentation weapons program at CalTech with a massive grant from Lockheed. Since his parents are dead, he took over the remains of the program after the war and started the Paw Patrol.

Also Mayor Humdinger is not a real mayor. Foggy Bottom was annihilated and he is the only one left, so he took charge. The derivative kitty augmentation was housed there, and they are all that is left. Why he keeps coming to adventure bay, dude is really lonely.