A new report has revealed that 24 per cent of dogs in the UK are unhappy.
Commissioned by Butcher’s Pet Care, the first ‘Healthy Happy Hound Report’ surveyed 2,000 dog owners to assess the wellbeing of their canine companions and discover the measures they take to ensure their happiness.
Ratings, from 1-10, were used to determine dogs’ happiness, with all dogs scoring five and under considered unhappy. Findings from the study showed that 10 per cent of dogs never socialise with other dogs; 32 per cent of owners are unaware of their dog’s weight; and a staggering 50 per cent of dogs get less than half an hour of exercise per day. It’s not all doom and gloom however, as 28 per cent of dogs were revealed to be the happiest they could be.
Clare Scallon of Butcher’s Pet Care commented on the findings: “Our dogs are an integral part of our lives and they certainly make us smile, but how happy are they? Our study identified three core foundations of a dog’s life that have the biggest impact on them – modern pack life, nutrition and diet, and play and exercise.
“We wanted to understand how far we have moved from a dog’s natural behaviour, but more importantly what we can do now to maintain a healthy balance between our modern lives and their natural instincts. We believe we have uncovered some fundamental truths, which will help all of us to better understand our dogs, and ultimately to make them and us happier.”
