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The coronavirus lockdown and the current cost of living crisis has created a ‘perfect storm’ for poor pup behaviour which may have led to an increase in dog bites.
The most recent police figures show there was a 34% increase in dog attacks reported in England and Wales in the last year – while Royal Mail says there has been a 15% increase in attacks on postal workers.
Recent high profile cases include great-grandmother Lucille Downer who was mauled by two dogs in her own garden, and the death of 10-year-old Jack Lis.
But as dog bites and attacks receive more media attention, dog behaviour experts believe both the coronavirus lockdowns and the cost of living crisis could be playing their part, with dog owners less financially able to fix their pets’ behavioural issues.
Bonnie Brincat is a clinical animal behaviourist based in London who runs Pets Explained, an animal behaviour practice.
She said breed isn’t an important factor when it comes to showing aggression – and smaller breeds acting in the same way as bigger, stronger ones are often passed off as ‘funny’ or ‘cute’.
Bonnie explained: ‘As larger and stronger breeds are capable of causing more serious injury, these incidents are more likely to be recorded in hospital statistics.
‘We hear much less about smaller dogs behaving the same way – videos of which are often mistakenly shared on social media.
‘Many dogs involved in recent UK fatalities are described as an “XL Bully”. Despite this, the XL Bully is not recognised or accepted by the UK or American Kennel Clubs as a standalone breed, nor is it mentioned in any research.
‘This label may be used where such dogs don’t fit any breed description, who in reality may simply be mixed-breed.’
She described the rise in UK dog bite reports as ‘worrying’ and said vets are seeing more dogs with behaviour problems.
Bonnie said: ‘This suggests something is harming our dogs’ mental health, which guide their actions.
‘The pandemic and cost of living crisis could have whipped up a perfect storm for our pets’ behaviour, with owners having fewer tools at their disposal to nip problems in the bud.
‘So called “pandemic pups” may have been unprepared to adjust to normality after growing up in lockdown, and vets are reporting more owners delaying or unable to afford treatment than in previous years.
‘Despite seeing more fearful behaviour, fewer than one in 10 owners report using a trainer or behaviourist in the last year, though over four times as many use a groomer.
‘If more of today’s dogs need behavioural help, but owners are less able to spend on specialist advice, seemingly small problems that are left unresolved could be snowballing toward bites.’
Ingrid Haskal is a dog behaviourist and committee member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors.
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She agreed that the coronavirus lockdown led to more poorly trained dogs, due to first-time dog owners adopting puppies and not being able to attend training classes with them.
Ingrid explained: ‘Dog ownership went up a lot during Covid – often people were buying dogs on a whim, and I even overheard someone say they were getting a dog because their kids were bored.
‘It’s a simple equation – if there are more dogs, you’re going to have more bites, it’s just pure maths.
‘So a lot of people got dogs without understanding the implications, and due to the restrictions a lot of dogs weren’t socialised which meant they potentially developed a fear of strange people.
‘Most aggression is based on fear – a dog biting a postie sees something strange coming through the letterbox and thinks “what’s going on, something’s invading my home”.
‘Most people don’t have proper understanding of a dog’s body language. Quite often, if you know what to look for, you can see the dog signalling it’s unhappy way before a bite takes place.
‘If a dog learns no matter what it does, nobody’s listening, its final attempt is a bit and everybody listens to a bite.’
But what’s the solution to badly behaved pups, and how could the risk of dog bites be reduced?
Bonnie said: ‘Making sure owners have access to reputable advice and help putting it into action may be the key to reducing bite rates.
‘Vets can refer dogs to an accredited behaviourist – whose fees can often be claimed back on pet insurance to reduce costs.
‘If a pet doesn’t have insurance, most large UK rehoming charities offer free, reputable phone or email advice on dog behaviour and training.’
Ingrid added dog owners should ensure the dog behaviourist they use is a member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors or another regulatory body – and many now offer sessions remotely if there isn’t anyone qualified in your area.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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