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A study by the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) found that 99.12% of dogs in the United States have behavior problems. The study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, used data collected from 43,517 dogs of various breeds, ages, sexes, sizes, and locations in the US enrolled in the Dog Aging Project.
For the Dog Aging Project survey, owners scored their dog’s behaviors in various categories, including aggression, separation and attachment behaviors, fear and anxiety, and house soiling using a scale from 0 to 4, with 4 indicating a serious issue.1,2 According to the survey findings, 99.12% of dogs showed at least one behavior rated moderately serious or serious, or at least 2 problems of moderate to serious intensity.
Separation and attachment behaviors was the most reported (85.9% ) issue in dogs, with owners rating these as moderate and serious issues. These behaviors included restlessness, pacing, following the owner around the house, sitting close to them, escape attempts, or barking and chewing items when left alone.2
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Aggression was another common issue, with approximately 55.6% of dogs showing moderate to serious behaviors on at least 2 occasions in the aggression category. Fear and anxiety followed at 49.9%. House soiling, meanwhile, was exhibited in 4.1% of dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project. Additional behavior issues reported by owners in the survey were persistent barking, escaping, eating grass or feces frequently, and chewing unwanted objects.2 Out of data from the 43,517 dogs in the project, only 110 had no reported behavioral problems across any of the questions asked.
In the US, behavior problems are a common reason people relinquish dogs at animal shelters, according to the study.1 Yet, owners do not always reveal a behavior problem, its severity, or whether the dog’s behavior is the reason for relinquishment.1
According to Bonnie V. Beaver, DVM, MS, DSc, DPNAP, DACVB, DACAW, professor of small animal clinical sciences at VMBS, and lead of the study, there may be dogs with behavior issues that are not being diagnosed. “Most dogs probably will show mild expressions of a problem behavior infrequently enough that an owner does not consider it important to seek help,” she wrote in the study.1 “It is also likely that there are dogs with moderate to serious problems that go unreported because owners do not think of the behavior as a problem, decide to tolerate the behavior, find a tolerable way to live with it, or do not know where to find help. This is another reason the prevalence of undesirable behavior has remained elusive.”
According to Beaver, some studies suggest only half of veterinarians ask questions about behavior during appointments.2 “Essentially all pet dogs in the United States have at least one moderate to serious behavioral issue, which typically goes unaddressed by veterinary practitioners,” she concluded.1
References
- Beaver BV. The prevalence of behavior problems in dogs in the United States. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 2024;76:34-39. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2024.11.001
- O’Connell L. More than 99% of US dogs have behavior problems. Newsweek Digital LLC. April 7, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025.
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