Long leash or just badly behaved?
- 59 percent of respondents complain about poorly or not at all trained dogs.
- Two out of three observe that dogs are increasingly running without a leash.
- Breed and size are the most important criteria for owners when choosing a dog.
Uelzen. According to the “Pet Survey 2024” by Uelzener Versicherungen, eight out of ten dog owners observe that the training of their four-legged friends is increasingly taking place without pressure or punishment. That's the good news. At the same time, 59 percent of those surveyed complain that dogs are generally poorly trained or not trained at all these days. One possible reason: 31 percent of dog owners have not yet taken their four-legged friends to a dog school, nor have they actively worked on training their dog with the help of a trainer or an app. For the study, the specialist animal insurer surveyed a total of more than 1,100 dog and cat owners in Germany.
“Dog training is being rethought: away from traditional and authoritarian methods, towards a more positive and freer approach. This trend towards gentler training also reflects a growing understanding of the needs of our dogs,” says Dr. Felix Garlipp, who heads the product and portfolio management department at Uelzener. 80 percent of dog owners in Germany have observed the change towards training without pressure and punishment. However, the study also shows that – regardless of the training method – six out of ten respondents see a general training deficit in dogs. In order to ensure harmonious coexistence between humans and dogs in public spaces, significantly higher expectations are placed on dog owners.
Although 69 percent of the dog owners surveyed said they had attended a dog school or training course or were planning to do so, over 30 percent do not use this professional support. Although training courses are now available via the Internet or apps, personal presence on site and in the training group is still seen as more advantageous from a group dynamic and animal psychology perspective.
Insurance expert Garlipp knows from his own experience that a good dog training school gives dog owners a lot of peace of mind when walking their dogs or in public. However, “63 percent of those we surveyed said that dogs are increasingly running without a leash. However, the increased use of dogs running without a leash poses risks that should not be underestimated.”
The dog is carefully selected
In addition to training, the Uelzen study also asked about the criteria that dog owners use to choose their four-legged friend. The most important factor is breed (49%), followed by size (44%) and suitability for the family situation (40%). Surprisingly, factors such as color (14%), grooming intensity (11%) and coat change (9%) play a relatively minor role.
Health and susceptibility to disease are also rarely taken into account when purchasing a dog (12%). This can become expensive over the course of a long dog life. Dr. Felix Garlipp: “So that no dog owner is put off by the vet bill, Uelzener was the first German insurer to introduce pet health insurance 40 years ago. And without financial worries, the focus remains on having fun – and training – with the dog.”