Some owners may have acted impulsively during the pandemic (Image: Getty)
Would-be dog owners were warned during the that “a dog is for life, not just for “. Now, a study suggests that people who purchased a “pandemic puppy” struggled more with the burden of caring for their pets.
The crisis saw a surge in dog ownership in the UK as people spent more time at home and sought companionship during lockdown.
But animal charities have warned that some pooches experienced behaviour problems when their owners returned to work after the pandemic.
To investigate the trend, researchers surveyed almost 800 UK dog owners who bought a puppy between March and December 2020.
Follow-up surveys were conducted when the puppies reached 21 months old to assess the owners’ emotional relationship with their dogs.
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Some 40% of participants admitted that their decision to buy a dog was influenced by the and 98% still owned their dogs at the 21-month point.
However, those for whom the pandemic was a motivation typically reported higher costs of dog ownership, such as having to give up activities they enjoy and spending money on their pooch.
Study leader Dr Bree Merritt, of the Royal Veterinary College, said “Relationships with our dogs can be immensely rewarding, but it’s not all fun and games.
“Looking after them can be hard work, expensive or even change day-to-day activities. Problem behaviours are likely to be a much wider concern beyond just those dogs who were brought home during the pandemic.
“These results show how important it is to find evidence-based help for problem behaviour to improve the emotional health of dogs, their owners and sustain their relationship.”
Previous research has suggested that pandemic puppy owners often bought their dogs more quickly after making the decision to get one, paid more and were less likely to follow recommended steps for rehoming a dog than people who bought them at other times.
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Study co-author Dr Rowena Packer said more work may be needed to get the message out about the long-term responsibilities of dog ownership.
She added: “Impulsive acquisition of dogs based on short-term circumstances is an enduring challenge for the canine welfare sector.
“Here, we demonstrate that puppy purchases that were a direct result of the -19 pandemic, such as having increased time for a dog during this atypical period, resulted in owners who felt a greater burden of dog ownership by the time their puppy was a young adult, compared to owners whose purchases were planned based on longer-term circumstances.
“UK campaigns have long encouraged owners to consider their ability to care for a dog for the duration of its lifetime at acquisition.
“However, if the efficacy of these messages remains limited, greater interventions may be needed to emphasise the responsibilities of dog ownership, ideally prior to purchase.”
The findings were published in the journal PLOS One