One Third of Dogs Have a Behaviour Issue, Study Shows
The most common problems are fear, especially fear of loud noises, and not doing what the guardian wants, such as not coming when called. Photo: Mikkel Bendix/Pexels By Zazie Todd PhD New research published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior shows that if your dog has a behaviour issue, you’re not alone. Importantly, the study is based on a representative sample of dog guardians in Denmark, which means the results are an accurate insight into all dogs there. The findings suggest that we need to pay more attention to behaviour issues in dogs. Dr. Iben Meyer (Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen), first author of the study, told me, “The estimated prevalence of owner reported behaviour problems in dogs was much higher than what is found in veterinary records from primary veterinary practice. This points to a need for veterinarians to focus more on screening for behaviour related problems and to provide a space for the owner where such issues can be