Puppies purchased in the last three years are causing concern to vets due to the increase of "dog aggression". Many of the dogs were bought by first time dog owners too. The Daily Mail report that Dog ownership increased by 3.2 million households in the UK during the first year of the pandemic.
British Veterinary Association's Senior Vice President Justine Shotton said" 'Whilst these new statistics are extremely worrying, they are not unexpected. `Vets and animal charities have been raising concerns around the long-term impacts of the pandemic puppy boom, when owners were unable to access adequate training and socialisation opportunities that are so important for development in the first few months of their lives'.
Socialisation is so important and so is proper training with dog trainers. Most people don't realise that dog training is a daily activity and it is best to start has early has possible. I bought my puppy in June 2021, then when he was 4.5 months he went to dog creche and then he was registered for Kennel Club dog training the same year. We thoroughly enjoy our weekly dog training together in and outside of the class and I can highly recommend it.
Daily dog training is not just about obedience, it is about the connection and communication with your new companion. It's relationship building, the building of trust between you. Any "aggression" shown has to be resolved in the puppies formative months, but few new dog owners are strict enough from the very beginning.
Dog attacks are on the rise and people often choose a dog that isn't suitable for them or their families. This week I met an elderly lady and her dog had been attacked, she said her little Cockapoo had to have an operation that cost £3,000 due to the harm caused. Then in the Daily Mail this week there was news of a dog attack and the police officers shot both the dogs. The dog owner had already been banned from owning dogs due to a previous incident.
That is another aspect, most new dog owners don't appear to be aware of the law regarding dogs. Although the government website makes it very clear indeed. There is over 20 pieces of legislation that applies to dog ownership in the UK and my view is that a copy of it should be given by the breeder when they sell a puppy. A copy of the laws that apply should be in their puppy pack, or at the very least pointing them to the government website and listing the essentials that are not always obvious.
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/wellbeing-and-care/dog-laws-uk
The puppy boom isn't over, we meet new puppies every week and some are a lot more friendly than others.
No comments:
Post a Comment