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I’d like to shere the importance of adequate socialization of our pets.

A survey from the British Veterinary Association reveals that 98% of vets have been asked to euthanize healthy pets.

Some 98% of vets have been asked to euthanize healthy pets, new figures from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have revealed.

Over half (53%) of companion animal vets said the request was not a rare occurrence and 98% of those who had been asked to euthanize a healthy pet citing the owner’s reason as their pet’s behavior.

Problem behaviors can include barking and howling, destructive chewing and inappropriate toileting.

出典：98% of vets asked to euthanise healthy pets

I think this report show the importance of adequate dog training for socialization at an early age.

Originally, behaviours are not inherently “good” or “bad” – it’s your view as an owner that determines whether behaviours are acceptable and wanted, or not.

Dogs do tha things that work for them – that make them feel good or help them avoid something that makes them feel unconfortable.

Barking and chewing are natural behaviors for dogs, so it is necessary to train them when to bark and what they can and cannot chew, rather than to prohibit the behavior itself.

You’ve probably heard these common excuses for unwanted behavior – “it’s because he’s a insert breed here”, or “She’s a rescue dog, so…”, and the classic “He’s just being dominant.”

Using your dog’s breed, personality, or where you got them from as an excuse for you not training them is just a smoke screen. All dogs need training and all dogs will respond to good training methods. That’s not to say it’s always easy, it isn’t. If you’re struggling with your dog’s behaviour, please seek expert help.

Although euthanasia is not common in Japan, all owners should know that even in the developed country of the United Kingdom, “The biggest killer of young, healthy dog is behaviour problems.”

I can not get accurate figures, but it is estimated that 10% of the shelter dogs are brought by their pet owners. I suspect that the majority of these dogs are probably the result of problematic behavior.

Source: 犬・猫の引取り及び負傷動物等の収容並びに処分の状況(環境省統計資料) (Japanese Only)

I also struggled with my dog’s behaviours. I didn’t know whom I should consult about it, and there was no clear solution when I consulted my family veterinarian. Now that I am also in the pet industry, I understand that not all veterinarians have enough knowledge of animal behavior, and that they are too busy on a daily basis to pay attention to what is not life-threatening.

However, veterinarian is the only recognized by government as the public qualification in the pet industry. So they have tremendous responsibility and influence. We would like to actively hold puppy classes and dog training seminar for contributing to pet socialization. We can do it because we have lots of talent people like veterinarians, VTs, and dog trainers.