Charlotte Brand and colleagues (2024) examined 985 “Pandemic Puppies” in the UK, originally recruited from a cohort of 4369 puppies in late 2020. Their study, published in Animals, assessed how early-life experiences, acquisition practices, and training methods influenced behavior as the dogs reached early adulthood.
The findings were striking: 96.7% of owners reported at least one problem behavior by 21 months, with a median of five behaviors per dog. Common issues included separation-related behaviors (30.9%), fearfulness, and disobedience. Notably, 82.3% of owners used aversive training techniques such as physical punishment, and these methods were consistently linked to higher rates of problem behaviors.
Protective factors were rare, but participation in online puppy classes reduced the likelihood of owners resorting to aversive methods. Nearly one-third of owners underestimated the difficulty of training, a perception most common among first-time dog owners. This mismatch between expectations and reality raises concerns about future risks of relinquishment or behavioral euthanasia.
The authors stress that urgent educational efforts are needed to support this vulnerable dog population, emphasizing humane, reward-based training methods to safeguard both canine welfare and long-term human–dog relationships.
Source: Brand, C., O’Neill, D., Belshaw, Z., Dale, F. C., Merritt, B. L., Clover, K. N., Tay, M.-X. M., Pegram, C. L., & Packer, R. (2024). Impacts of Puppy Early Life Experiences, Puppy-Purchasing Practices, and Owner Characteristics on Owner-Reported Problem Behaviours in a UK Pandemic Puppies Cohort at 21 Months of Age. Journal: Animals, Volume 14. Publication Date: 2024-01-01. Authors: Charlotte Brand et al.
