Lockdown timebomb: In-demand puppies taken too young could turn violent
VETS are warning that increased demand for “lockdown” puppies could lead to an increase in dangerous dogs more prone to biting and attacking other animals.
In order to cope with the demand for young dogs, some unscrupulous breeders are snatching pups from their litters before the legal eight-week weaning period.
The early removal of puppies from the litter means they miss a crucial part of their social conditioning.
This means that as adult dogs they can develop behavioural problems such as biting.
Dr Jessica May, lead veterinarian for Firstvet – an online referral service with 75 registered professionals – says her company has seen a rise in unweaned dogs being presented for care since the first lockdown, a figure predicted to increase after more puppies were bought for Christmas.
Dr May says: “Problems that can arise as a result of early weaning include high reactivity, anxiety and inter-dog aggression.
“Some of these may not manifest until the animal is older.
“Behaviours such as social hierarchy and bite inhibition are learnt during this period and cannot be taught at a later stage.”
Dogs’ Trust veterinary director Paula
Boyden said she had also seen an increase in puppies sold before the legal eight-week age – brought in to cut down on cruel puppy farming practices.
In a six-week study of 502 adverts on pet sales websites, Dogs’ Trust saw a spike in the number of “too young” puppies being offered.
In the study, 91 pups were found to be imported with around 17 per cent of these too young to have been brought in legally. She warned potential buyers they need to do more than simply fall in love with a puppy and buy it.
She said: “Too many would-be dog owners simply do not pay attention to where their puppy comes from, and this must stop.
“We’re urging people to be patient, do their research and take measures not to buy into this cruel industry which results in horrendous suffering to the dogs involved.”
Research released by Gocompare after the first lockdown revealed that American bulldog, doberman and German shepherds all featured in the top 10 most indemand puppy breeds last year.
American bulldogs, now the third most popular, have been involved in five fatal attacks on people since 2010.
Elayne Stanley, 44, of Widnes, Cheshire, was killed in September when her two American bulldogs turned on her in her own home. Hospital admissions for dog-related injuries increased five per cent to 23,078 in the three years up to 2018. Children made up 21 per cent of these. A report released by King’s College Hospital last year showed that 38 per cent of patients treated for facial injuries inflicted by dogs were children.
Dr Kathy Fan, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, says injuries to children were particularly common.
She said: “The playfulness of a child may be misunderstood by a dog as aggression and they’re likely to bite the closest part of the body, inevitably the lips, cheeks and nose.”
Dr Carri Westgarth, a lecturer in humananimal interaction at the University of Liverpool, says it is vital owners learn to read their pet dog’s body language, including the more subtle warning signs, such as excessive lip licking.
She said: “Many people think they’re more likely to be bitten by a stranger’s dog but most people are bitten by dogs they know.”
The worrying rise in unweaned puppies is being boosted by illegal puppy farming, warns Dogs’ Trust.
Between March and November, the trust seized 257 illegally smuggled puppies, including 61 unborn puppies which were smuggled in with heavily pregnant bitches.
The estimated combined value for all of these puppies would have been £570,000.