ALMOST EVERY DOG IN THE US HAS A BEHAVIOR PROBLEM, STUDY FINDS

A study from Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has revealed that 99.12% of dogs in the U.S. exhibit some form of behavioral issue.

Published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, the research analyzed data from 43,517 dogs of varying breeds, ages, sizes, and locations, all participants in the Dog Aging Project.

As part of the project, dog owners rated their pets’ behaviors on a scale from 0 to 4—where 4 signified a serious problem—in areas such as aggression, anxiety, house soiling, and separation or attachment issues. The results showed that nearly all dogs had at least one behavior rated as moderately serious or serious, or two issues of similar intensity.

The most common concern, reported by 85.9% of owners, was separation and attachment behavior. These included signs such as restlessness, pacing, constantly following their owner, staying close, escape attempts, and destructive behaviors like barking or chewing when left alone.

Aggression emerged as another frequently reported concern, with around 55.6% of dogs displaying moderate to serious aggressive behaviors on at least two occasions. Close behind were issues related to fear and anxiety, affecting 49.9% of dogs. House soiling was far less common, observed in just 4.1% of the dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project.

Owners also reported a range of other behavioral issues, including persistent barking, escaping, frequent grass or feces consumption, and chewing inappropriate items. Out of the 43,517 dogs surveyed, only 110 showed no behavioral problems across any of the categories.

In the U.S., behavior problems are a leading reason why people surrender dogs to shelters. However, the study notes that owners often don’t disclose the true nature or severity of the problem—or even admit that the dog’s behavior is the reason for relinquishment.

Dr. Bonnie V. Beaver, professor of small animal clinical sciences at VMBS and lead author of the study, emphasized that many behavior issues go unnoticed or unaddressed. “Most dogs will show mild problem behaviors occasionally, but not often enough for owners to seek help,” she explained. “There are also dogs with more serious issues that go unreported—either because owners don’t recognize the behavior as problematic, choose to live with it, or don’t know where to turn for support.”

Beaver added that some research suggests only about half of veterinarians routinely ask about behavior during appointments. “The reality is that nearly all pet dogs in the U.S. have at least one moderate to serious behavioral issue—and these often go unrecognized or untreated in veterinary practice,” she concluded.