Dogs with behavioral problems are more likely to die prematurely. This is the conclusion reached by a team of researchers from the Royal Veterinary College , a veterinary school linked to the University of London. One more compelling reason for dog owners to worry about providing a good education to their furry companions.
The investigation
To conduct the research, the experts used data from 250,000 UK dogs . Of these, 1,500 died before reaching three years of age and 33% had behavioral problems.
The behavior problems that occurred the most were aggression, in 54% of the cases, and traffic accidents , in 39%, both related to the fact that these dogs with bad behavior tend to move away from home. The bad but real news is that more than 76% of these misbehaving dogs end up being euthanized. At this point we want to make a point and call the responsibility of all the people who decide to have a furry and it is that it is in our power not to reach that dramatic end. You have to worry about their education and in case we are not willing to provide it, it is best if we do not have a dog.
Race, sex, and size as risk factors
The researchers found other risk factors for the early death of misbehaving dogs such as breed, sex and size. They concluded that mongrel dogs are 1.4 times more likely to die from behavioral problems than purebred dogs, the same as males compared to females. Comparing larger and smaller dogs, they found that dogs weighing more than 40 kilos were twice as likely to die prematurely from behavioral issues than dogs weighing less than 10 kilos. Regarding the breeds, they concluded that those with the highest risk of dying from this cause are: the Cocker Spaniel, the West Highland White Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Jack Russell .
You have to educate throughout your life
Dan O’Neill, professor and one of the authors of the study points out that “those dogs with behavior considered unacceptable by their owners run the risk of having a worse quality of life , either due to their own underlying emotional motivations, such as those that generates fear or anxiety; or by how the owners decide to punish this behavior, for example, hitting them or using electric shock collars with them ”. The expert also highlighted the importance of knowing what behavioral problems can lead to in dogs and how, through a good education, in addition to avoiding premature death, one could provide greater welfare to the animal.
Experts call on dog owners to socialize their furry from puppies and continue to educate them throughout life , not just when they are young.
