The puppy photos are the easy part. A new study in the journal PLOS ONE found that one in three families said raising a puppy was harder than they expected, which will surprise no one who has scrubbed a carpet at dawn.
Researchers surveyed families in the United Kingdom with children between 8 and 17, collecting answers from 382 adult caregivers and 216 children. The warm parts came through clearly. Parents and kids both said the dog made them happy, and most children felt comforted by their dog, with many calling it their best friend.
The trickier parts showed up too. Families reported jealousy and parents spending far more time on the dog than they had planned. Ninety-five percent of primary caregivers were women, a pattern researcher Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College calls maternal load. Almost half of the families said their child was less involved with the dog than expected.
What this means for your dog
The study also looked at 17 interactions linked to a higher risk of dog bites, including hugging, picking up the dog, pulling ears or a tail, and waking a sleeping dog. More than half the children were allowed to do eight of the 17. Caregivers reported that kids often missed the signs a dog was uncomfortable, or pushed ahead after a growl. Dogs usually warn before they bite, and those warnings stay quiet.
Packer’s advice is to slow down before you buy. Learn as a family what a relaxed dog looks like, dog-sit for a friend first, and do not get a puppy for your child. Start with the basics, like the first three things to teach a new dog, and the early months get easier.