Study says puppies cause as much stress as they cure

By Stephen Beech

One in three parents say owning a puppy proved "more challenging" than expected.

And "overwhelmed" moms may bear a greater share of the mental load associated with owning a dog, according to new research.

While puppy ownership brought joy to many children as well as their parents, a third of moms and dads said getting a puppy posed mental health challenges as well as benefits.

Families considering buying a puppy should not assume it will boost everyone’s mental health, say vets.

The new study of British families with puppies identified multiple mental health "challenges" alongside benefits of ownership for adults and youngsters alike, suggesting that a mental health boost should not be the main motivator behind getting a dog.

Dr. Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College, London, says families may consider adding a puppy to their household with the hope that it will improve mental health, especially for children.

She said such hopes were behind many puppy acquisitions during the COVID-19 pandemic, although previous research has produced "ambiguous" results about the potential benefits of pet ownership.

Dr. Packer said most previous studies focused on adult owners, neglecting children’s experiences.

She and her colleagues surveyed adults and children in households with a puppy, collecting data from a total of 382 adults and 216 children, eight- to 17-years-old.

Analysis of the findings, published in the journal PLOS One, suggested that dog ownership brought joy to many parents and children.

Many moms and dads felt their dog provided mental well-being benefits to their children, and children reported feeling comfort and happiness from their dogs.

But more than a third of adults who served as the primary puppy caregiver in their household felt that having a puppy was "more challenging" than expected.

Compared to experienced puppy owners, first-time owners were more likely to find child-puppy interactions to be challenging.

Negotiating which family members were responsible for which aspects of dog care also posed challenges, according to the findings.

Some children reported frustration with their dogs’ attention-seeking behaviour.

Almost all the children in the study were permitted to interact with their dog in ways that could increase the risk of being bitten.

Dr. Packer said, “Our study shows that young children often interact with dogs in ways that can increase the risk of bites, such as hugging or cuddling them.

"Children are especially likely to approach their dogs for comfort when they feel upset, bored or lonely, which can lead to very close contact that some dogs find stressful.

"In these moments, dogs may react defensively, sometimes by snapping or biting to try and escape the situation.

"We encourage parents and caregivers to learn about safe dog–child interactions, set clear boundaries with their children, and closely monitor their interactions with dogs to protect both children and pets.”

Nineteen out of 20 (95%) of the primary puppy caregivers in the study were female.

Many moms felt "overwhelmed" by the responsibility of caring for their puppy, which the researchers say suggests that mothers may bear a greater share of the mental load associated with puppy ownership.

On the basis of their findings, the research team highlighted several considerations for families thinking of getting a puppy - such as discussing dog-care responsibilities with children and attending puppy-training classes that include safety training for children.

Co-author Dr. Zoe Belshaw added: “Bringing a new puppy into the family is often seen as a source of joy, companionship, and fun, but behind the excitement lies a great deal of unseen work.

"Our new research suggests that responsibility doesn’t always fall where people might expect.

"In families with school-aged children, we found that whilst children and fathers may help with certain puppy care tasks, the majority of the ongoing responsibility tends to be taken on by mothers.

"Mothers involved in our research described feeling overwhelmed trying to juggle the competing needs of their dog and their family, particularly during the puppyhood stages.

"This workload represents a significant and previously overlooked form of hidden women's labor.”