New research carried out by the VetCompassTM Programme at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) suggests that dogs with undesirable behaviours such as fighting, running away, over-excitability or barking are more likely to die at a younger age.
What has the study found?
- 7% of deaths in dogs under the age of three are caused by undesirable behaviours.
- Smaller, male dogs are more at risk of dying from undesirable behaviours, as well as certain breeds.
- The most common behaviour which has led to death is aggression.
- 2% of dogs that have died from behavioural issues had been previously rehomed.
- Of the dogs that died from undesirable behaviours, 12.9% had sought veterinary behavioural advice.
- Compared with the Labrador Retriever, the breeds with the highest risk of death from an undesirable behaviour were the Cocker Spaniel (8 times the risk), West Highland White Terrier (5.7 times the risk), Staffordshire Bull Terrier (4.5 times the risk), and Jack Russell Terrier (2.7 times the risk). The Labrador Retriever was chosen as the baseline breed as it is a common and well-known breed.
How can you help dog owners reduce these statistics?
Working with animals can put you in an ideal position to help dog owners prevent or correct undesirable behaviours in their dogs. It is really important that owners are aware of the importance of socialisation and training, and the impact this has on a dog’s life:
- Encourage all dog owners to join a reputable training class to prevent and address any undesirable behaviours.
- Ensure any people looking to take on a puppy do so from a reputable breeder to ensure the puppies are well adjusted and start off on the right foot. Alternatively, look at adopting a puppy from a rescue centre that has experience in assessing puppies and will make sure it will be a good fit for their family and provide ongoing support and advice.
- If they’re worried about a serious behavioural problem, encourage them to seek veterinary advice in the first instance to ensure there are no underlying undiagnosed medical conditions.
Find out more about the research conducted by VetCompassTM.
‘Essentials of Dog and Cat Behaviour Problems’, 27 September 2018 @ Edinburgh. This half day course looks at individual issues that a pet may face and what you can do to prevent suffering or the euthanasia of pets as a result of behavioural issues.