Quarter of puppy owners would consider giving them up rather than train them, poll shows

More than a quarter of dog owners would consider giving up their puppy if they displayed behaviour mistakenly identified as ‘problematic’ for their age, according to new research.

Research from puppy training app, Zigzag, found that 12% would take them back to the breeder, 10% would give them up for adoption, 6% would give them to a friend, and 2.5% would consider euthanasia.

The research has uncovered a knowledge gap when it comes to what is normal behaviour and development.

When asked to identify problematic behaviour in puppies aged eight weeks to three-months-old, 59% of UK dog owners identified peeing on the floor, while nearly half considered nipping and chewing furniture and possessions a problem.

For puppies aged three to six months, more than a third of owners considered barking a behavioural problem and over a quarter mistakenly identified crying all night as an issue.

While jumping up at strangers and pulling on the lead were considered issues by many in puppies aged six months to one-year-old.

Lorna Winter, director of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter and co-founder and head of training at Zigzag, said: “These behaviours are all completely normal and the stats highlight the misguided expectations we place on the dogs in our lives.

“Over three million of us are considering getting a puppy, however many have idealised views of companionship and simply aren’t prepared to put in the work when it comes to training or researching what is normal.”

Zigzag has launched a new campaign to show new and prospective owners what normal puppy parenthood really looks like.