Dogs bought during the pandemic are displaying higher incidences of bad behaviour, including clinginess, and pulling on the lead, a study has found.
The study, by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), found that, of 1,000 dog owners polled, 97% said their dog displayed at least one problem behaviour from a list of 24. The average number of owner-reported problem behaviours at 21 months was five, while 20% of owners reported eight or more. The three most common behaviours that owners considered a problem were pulling on the lead (67%), jumping up at people (57%) and not coming back when called (52%).
But the study also found that those who used punishments in training – owners shouting at their dog or using training equipment that is unpleasant for dogs, rather than using reward-based methods such as praise and treats – their puppies had worse outcomes compared to those who used other methods. Indeed, in some cases negative reinforcement was found to result in new problem behaviours in dogs due to the fear and anxiety it can cause.
When asked about the dog training methods they used in the first 21 months of ownership, 96% of owners reported verbally praising their dogs as a training method. However, 80% also reported using one or more aversive methods/aids – with 39% of participants admitting to using two or more aversive training aids. The most common aversive training method/aid was physically moving the dog (e.g., pushing them off if they jump up at a person or on furniture) (44%), followed by shouting at them/telling them off (41%) and leash corrections (e.g., yanking their lead if they pull) (40%).
Owners were less likely to use aversive training techniques if they had attended online puppy classes with their dog while they were under 16 weeks during the pandemic, demonstrating the value of educating owners in humane training techniques at an early stage of ownership.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC, and lead author of the study, said: “Problem behaviours in dogs are a major welfare challenge, not just for affected dogs but also for their caregivers, causing stress and lifestyle changes for many owners. Our findings indicate that problem behaviours are extremely common in pandemic puppies, and in many cases, are potentially being exacerbated by owners using punishment-based training techniques.
“Although we understand these problem behaviours can be very frustrating for owners, they are often a sign a dog is struggling to cope or that they haven’t been taught an appropriate response in a situation, rather than dogs intentionally behaving ‘badly’. Punishing problem behaviours can lead to dogs becoming anxious and fearful, going on to develop further problem behaviours, including aggression.
“Gaining a deeper understanding of the risk factors for problem behaviour development is important in helping us provide effective advice to owners. A key piece of guidance arising from our study is that attending puppy classes is a vital way to support owners in using the best training techniques available. We appreciate many pandemic puppy owners missed these opportunities due to lockdown restrictions, but thankfully, there are also many science-based behaviour professionals available running adult classes and consultations who can support owners and dogs using effective, humane training techniques, who we would encourage all owners troubled by their dog’s behaviour to reach out to.”
