The COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in puppy purchases across the UK, often under conditions that limited proper socialization and preparation for ownership. Brand et al. (2024) analyzed 985 dogs from a larger cohort of pandemic-era puppies to assess the impact of early life factors and training choices on behavior at 21 months of age.
The findings were striking: nearly all owners (96.7%) reported at least one problem behavior in their dogs by this age, with a median of five issues per dog. The most common were separation-related problems, affecting almost one third of the cohort. Importantly, the use of aversive training methods, such as physical punishment, was widespread (82.3%) and strongly associated with higher rates of problem behaviors.
By contrast, attendance at online puppy classes emerged as the only protective factor against the use of aversive training. The study also revealed that nearly one third of owners underestimated the difficulty of training, with first-time owners particularly prone to this miscalculation. This gap in expectation and preparedness contributed to reliance on harsher training techniques.
The authors stress that urgent education and support for dog owners is essential to improve welfare, reduce problem behaviors, and prevent potential relinquishment or euthanasia of young dogs. Humane, reward-based training methods were highlighted as key to promoting emotional health and strengthening the human–dog bond.
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. Animals, 14. Published January 1, 2024.
