Data and facts about the pet dog acquisition process, specifically why people purchase their dogs.
Jump to: Overview | Designer Crossbreeds | Pandemic Puppies
Highlights
Overview
Designer Crossbreeds
Jump to: UK Study
Purchase of Designer Crossbreeds in the UK
External link: Burnett, E., Brand, C.L., O’Neill, D.G. et al. How much is that doodle in the window? Exploring motivations and behaviours of UK owners acquiring designer crossbreed dogs (2019-2020). Canine Med Genet 9, 8 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-022-00120-x
Demographics and Lifestyle
Characteristic | Designer Crossbreed | Purebred |
---|---|---|
Respondent Age: 45-54 | 27.9% | 24.0% |
Respondent Age: 35-54 | 51.7% | 44.6% |
Respondent Is the Primary Carer | 57.1% | 60.2% |
Previous Dog Owners | 46.1% | 67.6% |
First-Time Owners | 38.0% | 20.7% |
Grew Up with Dog | 61.2% | 70.3% |
Animal Care Workers | 5.1% | 15.1% |
Adult-Only Home | 50.8% | 59.9% |
Live Alone | 7.6% | 8.9% |
Only Dog | 82.9% | 60.7% |
Access to shared garden | 3.1% | 2.6% |
Access to private garden | 95.0% | 96.0% |
Dog Is Insured | 87.6% | 82.5% |
Gender of Dog: Female | 50.0% | 46.8% |
Age at Purchase: 7-8 weeks | 62.4% | 62.6% |
Price: £2000-£2999 | 25.7% | 15.1% |
Most Popular Crossbreeds
Most Popular Designer Crossbreeds | % |
---|---|
Cockapoo | 32.1% |
Labradoodle | 11.6% |
Cavapoo | 9.1% |
Sprocker | 6.0% |
Golden doodle | 3.2% |
Pre-Purchase Motivations
Reasons Why Owners Wanted To Purchase A Dog
Reason for wanting to purchase a dog (n = 6281) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1568) | Purebred % (n = 4713) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Companionship for myself | 68.1 | 63.5 | 1.23 |
To encourage myself/my family to walk and exercise | 63.3 | 48.1 | 1.52 |
To improve my/my family’s mental health | 55.2 | 40.6 | 1.54 |
Companionship for other adult(s) in my household | 38.7 | 35.2 | 1.06 |
Companionship for my children | 30.7 | 19.8 | 1.28 |
To keep me/my family busy | 26.9 | 21.9 | 1.16 |
Due to the loss of a previous dog in my household | 20.7 | 32.4 | 0.76 |
Companionship for my other dog(s) | 12.4 | 25.1 | 0.67 |
As a working dog for a specific role (e.g., gundog, security, sniffer/tracking, herding, medical detection, assistance/therapy dog) | 3.70 | 10.4 | 0.45 |
For a specific non-working role (e.g., dog sports, showing, etc.) | 1.02 | 6.98 | 0.21 |
Characteristics Sought By Owners When Selecting A Puppy To Purchase
Breed/crossbreed characteristic (n = 6175) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1545) | Purebred % (n = 4630) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Size is suited to my lifestyle | 74.8 | 59.1 | 1.86 |
Good companion | 73.7 | 69.4 | 1.15 |
Generally healthy breed/crossbreed | 61.2 | 42.3 | 2.05 |
Good with children | 56.0 | 42.5 | 1.46 |
Easy to train | 54.3 | 36.4 | 1.92 |
Hypoallergenic | 47.1 | 7.86 | 9.12 |
Appearance/looks | 42.7 | 38.9 | 1.11 |
Exercise encouragement | 34.4 | 31.2 | 1.06 |
Friends or family currently own this breed/crossbreed | 28.9 | 21.8 | 1.23 |
Long life expectancy | 13.5 | 15.1 | 0.95 |
Low grooming needs | 13.1 | 16.5 | 0.70 |
Affordable purchase cost of puppies | 12.9 | 6.80 | 1.93 |
I’ve owned this breed/crossbreed before | 12.8 | 42.9 | 0.22 |
Affordable cost of upkeep | 9.45 | 7.04 | 1.22 |
I grew up with or had childhood experiences with this breed/crossbreed | 8.61 | 21.8 | 0.33 |
Popularity of the breed/crossbreed | 6.60 | 3.76 | 1.45 |
Low exercise requirements | 5.83 | 5.33 | 0.94 |
Working ability of this breed/crossbreed | 4.92 | 18.1 | 0.29 |
Characteristics of Breeders that Prospective Owners Sought Out
Breeder characteristic (n = 6037) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1511) | Purebred % (n = 4526) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Someone I felt was trustworthy | 76.6 | 79.7 | 0.85 |
They performed health tests for the breed/crossbreed I wanted | 59.3 | 66.2 | 0.75 |
Lived within the distance I was willing to travel | 48.0 | 36.2 | 1.63 |
Availability of puppies at the time I wanted | 45.9 | 37.2 | 1.39 |
They would allow me to see the puppies’ father (sire) | 40.4 | 42.8 | 0.95 |
Reasonably priced puppies | 37.1 | 35.0 | 1.13 |
Bred the colour of the breed/crossbreed I wanted to purchase | 20.3 | 23.3 | 0.85 |
A member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeders Scheme | 5.29 | 27.4 | 0.13 |
The dogs they bred from had been awarded prizes at dog shows | 1.46 | 12.0 | 0.13 |
Pre-Purchase Behaviours Of Owners
Sources Of Information Used When Researching Dog Ownership
Source (n = 3798) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1155) | Purebred % (n = 2643) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
A breed/crossbreed-specific online resource (e.g., website/forum) | 75.2 | 50.4 | 2.81 |
Talking to friends or family who own or had owned a dog | 74.3 | 57.8 | 1.66 |
Social media sites, e.g., Facebook, Instagram | 52.8 | 42.7 | 1.42 |
An animal charity website, e.g., Dogs Trust, RSPCA, PDSA, etc. | 52.6 | 34.6 | 1.94 |
Talking to a dog breeder | 42.9 | 53.4 | 0.60 |
The Kennel Club website | 37.5 | 59.4 | 0.34 |
Book(s) | 35.4 | 33.1 | 0.91 |
My veterinary professional (e.g., veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse) | 10.2 | 12.4 | 0.83 |
Other digital sources (e.g., articles on the internet, TV shows) | 4.07 | 2.84 | 1.53 |
Places Owners Found Their Puppy
Places owners found their puppy (n = 6034) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1509) | Purebred % (n = 4525) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
An animal specific selling website, e.g., Pets4Homes, Champdogs | 55.7 | 37.4 | 1.89 |
A general selling website, e.g., FreeAds, Gumtree, Preloved | 13.8 | 7.67 | 2.19 |
I already knew the breeder (e.g., colleague, friends, family, repeat purchase) | 12.3 | 24.8 | 0.53 |
A social media breed/crossbreed specific group | 9.54 | 8.42 | 1.15 |
The Kennel Club website ‘Find A Puppy’ search | 2.32 | 17.5 | 0.01 |
Recommendation from someone who is not a colleague, friend, family member or animal professional | 0.66 | 2.03 | 0.35 |
Recommendation from another breeder/stud dog owner | 0.33 | 2.21 | 0.13 |
Time Interval And Deposits
Characteristic | Designer Crossbreed | Purebred |
---|---|---|
Time interval between prospective owners’ initial decision to look for a puppy to when they brought their puppy home | ||
Time Interval : 1-6 months | 51.10% | 48.90% |
Time Interval: 1 week – 1 month | 12.40% | 9.49% |
Time Interval: < 1 week | 3.76% | 2.34% |
Put down a deposit on the puppy | ||
Deposit before seeing puppy | 16.40% | 14.40% |
Deposit after seeing puppy | 58.40% | 50.30% |
Puppy Viewing Practices Prior To The Date The Puppy Was Brought Home
Viewed prior to the date they were brought home (n = 5964) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1494) | Purebred % (n = 4470) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Yes – visited the breeder’s property in person | 60.4 | 67.0 | 0.74 |
No – I wanted to see my/our puppy, but the breeder refused | 48.0 | 0.76 | 0.67 |
Yes – saw my/our puppy on a live video call with their breeder | 24.5 | 21.4 | 1.08 |
No – the purchase was a rapid decision, so my puppy was brought home on the same day they were viewed | 4.95 | 2.42 | 0.41 |
Purchase Of First-Choice Breeds And Reasons For Not Purchasing First-Choice
First-choice breed? (n = 5964) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1539) | Purebred % (n = 4599) |
---|---|---|
Yes, my puppy/dog is the breed/crossbreed that was my first-choice | 79.7 | 92.5 |
No, I could not find a seller that had puppies available at the time for my first-choice breed/crossbreed | 5.52 | 2.07 |
No, I/we didn’t have a specific choice in mind | 4.68 | 1.37 |
No, puppies of my first-choice breed/crossbreed were too expensive | 3.64 | 1.35 |
No, I/we changed our mind | 1.69 | 0.59 |
No, I could not find a breeder I felt happy buying a puppy from for my first-choice breed/crossbreed | 1.23 | 0.98 |
No, but I had several breeds (> 3) that I was interested in and got one of those | 0.97 | 0.30 |
No, puppies of my first-choice breed/crossbreed were too far away | 0.71 | 0.02 |
No, but I had several breeds (≤ 3) I was interested in and got one of them | 0.71 | 0.15 |
No, I wanted a rescue | 0.65 | 0.41 |
No, our planned purchase of our first-choice fell through | 0.26 | 0.17 |
Purchasing Behaviours of Owners
Locations Owners Received Their Puppy
Location (n = 6037) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1511) | Purebred % (n = 4526) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
The breeder’s property – from inside their home | 59.4 | 61.8 | 0.96 |
The breeder’s property – from outside their home, e.g., doorstep, garden | 24.8 | 21.4 | 1.11 |
A car park | 1.32 | 0.68 | 1.73 |
Owners’ Requests For Information Related To Health Testing Of Their Puppies’ Parents
Test Type | Request and Provision of information | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1235) | Purebred % (n = 3718) |
---|---|---|---|
Results of DNA (genetic) tests | Yes, and they provided me with it | 38.2 | 46.0 |
Yes, but they could not provide me with it | 3.7 | 3.7 | |
No, I didn’t ask about this | 47.5 | 44.2 | |
No, I do not believe there are any tests available for my puppy’s breed/crossbreed | 10.5 | 6.1 | |
Results of veterinary screening tests (e.g., hips, elbows, knees, eyes, respiratory testing) | Yes, and they provided me with it | 41.2 | 54.1 |
Yes, but they could not provide me with it | 5.0 | 4.2 | |
No, I didn’t ask about this | 44.3 | 36.1 | |
No, I do not believe there are any tests available for my puppy’s breed/crossbreed | 9.6 | 5.6 |
Other Dogs That Were Seen At The Seller’s Premises On The Day Of Purchase Of The Puppy
Other dogs and their relationship to the purchased puppy (n = 5904) | Designer crossbreed % (n = 1478) | Purebred % (n = 4426) | Odds Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Their mother (dam) | 73.1 | 79.8 | 0.82 |
Their littermates | 67.7 | 78.1 | 0.63 |
Another dog(s) they were not related to (e.g., another breed) | 35.8 | 28.6 | 0.97 |
Their father (sire) | 21.5 | 24.8 | 0.51 |
I only saw my/our puppy | 13.7 | 9.51 | 1.21 |
Adult dog(s) they were related to (e.g., aunts, grandparents, older siblings) | 3.00 | 7.41 | 0.43 |
Other puppies (unsure if they were littermates) | 4.19 | 2.96 | 1.41 |
Research Summary | Back to Top
Pandemic Case Studies
Jump to: Pandemic Puppies in the UK
Pandemic Puppies in the UK
External link: Packer RMA, Brand CL, Belshaw Z, Pegram CL, Stevens KB, O’Neill DG. Pandemic Puppies: Characterising Motivations and Behaviours of UK Owners Who Purchased Puppies during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. Animals. 2021; 11(9):2500. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092500
Owner Demographics and Lifestyle
Owner Demographics
- Gender:
- 2019: 92.0% female
- 2020: 90.0% female
- Age:
- Most common age group: 45-54 years old
- 2019: 25.2%
- 2020: 24.6%
- Second most common age group: 25-34 years old
- 2019: 23.4%
- 2020: 24.1%
- Most common age group: 45-54 years old
- Care Responsibilities:
- Primary caregiver:
- 2019: 62.9%
- 2020: 57.8%
- Shared care:
- 2019: 34.1%
- 2020: 39.7%
- Primary caregiver:
Experience with Dogs
- Previous Dog Ownership:
- 2019: 66.7%
- 2020: 59.7%
- Grew Up with a Dog:
- 2019: 68.1%
- 2020: 69.3%
- Employed in Canine/Animal Care:
- 2019: 17.9%
- 2020: 10.0%
Household Demographics
- Household Composition: Pandemic Puppy households were more likely to include both adults and children (33.2%) compared to 2019 households (26.8%).
- Age of Children in Household: In households with children, Pandemic Puppy households were more likely to have younger children (5-10 years old) (50.3%) compared to 2019 households (37.8%).
- Conversely, they were less likely to have older teenage children (16-18 years old) (24.8% vs. 35.4%).
- Number of Dogs in Household: Pandemic Puppy households were more likely to have a single dog (70.1%) compared to 2019 households (58.7%).
- Household Living Environment: The majority of both Pandemic Puppy and 2019 puppy households had access to a private garden or yard (95.1% and 96.9%, respectively).
Impact of COVID on Household Lifestyle
- Remote Work: Pandemic Puppy owners were more likely to work from home (57.3%) compared to 2019 owners (51.8%).
- Home Schooling: Pandemic Puppy owners were more likely to homeschool children (27.5%) compared to 2019 owners (22.7%).
- Furloughs: Pandemic Puppy owners were less likely to have been furloughed (24.6%) compared to 2019 owners (30.7%).
- Unemployment: There was no significant difference in the proportion of owners who became unemployed due to COVID-19 between the two groups. (2019: 5.8% vs. 2020: 6.0%)
- Key Workers: There was no significant difference in the proportion of owners who were key workers or had household members who were key workers. (2019: 34.8% vs. 2020: 33.7%
Puppy Demographics
- Breed
- Purebred: 72% of all puppies were purebred.
- Crossbred:
- 2019: 18.8% designer crossbreds
- 2020: 26.1% designer crossbreds
- Kennel Club Registration:
- 2019: 58.2% registered with The Kennel Club
- 2020: 46.2% registered with The Kennel Club
- Gender: No significant difference in sex distribution between 2019 and 2020 puppies.
- 2019: 51.7% male
- 2020: 53.4% male
Pre-Purchase Motivations
- Sole Decision-Maker:
- 2019: 46.6%
- 2020: 41.4%
- Household Decision:
- 2019: 41.3%
- 2020: 45.6%
Reasons for Purchasing A Dog
Reason (n = 5508) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 1148) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 4360) |
---|---|---|
Companionship for myself | 64.5 | 64.7 |
To encourage myself/my family to walk and exercise | 47.6 | 53.6 |
To improve my/my family’s mental health | 38.1 | 46.9 |
Companionship for other adult(s) in my household | 34.8 | 37.0 |
Due to the loss of a previous dog in my household | 30.8 | 28.6 |
Companionship for my children | 19.1 | 24.0 |
To keep me/my family busy | 22.8 | 23.7 |
Companionship for my other dog(s) | 25.7 | 19.9 |
As a working dog for a specific role (e.g., gundog, security, sniffer/tracking, herding, medical detection, assistance/therapy dog) | 10.4 | 7.9 |
For a specific non-working role (e.g., dog sports, showing, etc.) | 8.1 | 4.1 |
Due to the ageing of another dog/other pet in my household | 0.9 | 0.7 |
For breeding | 1.1 | 0.6 |
Due to the death of another (non-dog) pet in my household | 0.2 | 0.4 |
Companionship for my other (non-dog) pets | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Characteristics Sought by Owners When Selecting A Breed
Characteristic (n = 5404) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 1123) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 4281) |
---|---|---|
Good companion | 67.9 | 70.8 |
Size suited to my lifestyle | 59.1 | 64.9 |
Generally healthy breed/crossbreed | 45.3 | 48.4 |
Good with children | 38.7 | 47.9 |
Easy to train | 34.7 | 43.3 |
Appearance/looks | 39.3 | 39.7 |
I’ve owned this breed or crossbreed before | 40.1 | 33.0 |
Exercise encouragement | 29.9 | 33.0 |
Friends or family currently own this breed/crossbreed | 19.8 | 24.0 |
I grew up with or had childhood experiences with this breed/crossbreed | 18.5 | 18.8 |
Hypoallergenic | 15.2 | 18.0 |
Low grooming needs | 14.2 | 16.4 |
Long life expectancy | 15.9 | 14.2 |
Working ability of the breed/crossbreed | 17.5 | 13.2 |
Affordable purchase cost of puppies | 8.4 | 9.3 |
Affordable cost of upkeep | 7.7 | 8.0 |
Low exercise requirements | 5.0 | 5.5 |
Popularity of the breed/crossbreed | 4.9 | 4.4 |
Other perceived temperament/personality traits | 3.8 | 3.2 |
None of these options—I did not have any specific characteristics I was looking for | 3.2 | 1.6 |
I’ve always wanted to own this breed/crossbreed | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Low or non-shedding | 0.6 | 0.4 |
Specific genetic characteristics of the breed/crossbreed | 0.5 | 0.4 |
Celebrity/Influencer endorsement/ownership | 0.4 | 0.1 |
None of these options—someone else in the household selected the breed/crossbreed of our puppy | 0.3 | 0.1 |
Characteristics of Breeders that Prospective Owners Sought Out
Breeder Characteristic (n = 5279) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 1101) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 4178) |
---|---|---|
They would allow me to see the puppies’ mother (dam) | 90.5 | 88.9 |
Someone I felt cared for their dogs | 81.7 | 84.6 |
Someone I felt was trustworthy | 79.2 | 78.9 |
Good communication with me | 74.2 | 78.8 |
They performed health tests for the breed/crossbreed I wanted | 66.9 | 62.1 |
They would allow me to see the puppies’ father (sire) | 44.2 | 42.1 |
Availability of the breed I wanted | 39.2 | 41.8 |
Lived within the distance I was willing to travel | 37.5 | 40.5 |
Availability of puppies at the time I wanted | 38.3 | 40.1 |
Reasonably priced puppies | 35.5 | 36.3 |
Bred the colour of the breed/crossbreed I wanted to purchase | 21.0 | 21.8 |
A member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeders Scheme | 25.2 | 20.2 |
The dogs they bred from had been awarded prizes at dog shows | 11.3 | 8.2 |
Someone I already knew | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Registered with the local Council | 0.5 | 0.6 |
They bred dogs with specific working and/or sporting characteristics | 1.0 | 0.6 |
They were a member of a specific breed/crossbreed club or association | 0.2 | 0.3 |
They registered their puppies with an international canine registration body (e.g., FCI) | 0.0 | 0.1 |
Pre-Purchase Behaviours
Sources of Information Used
- Pre-Purchase Research: Pandemic Puppy owners were more likely to conduct pre-purchase research (58.1%) compared to 2019 puppy owners (46.7%).
- Only a small percentage of owners in both groups (3%) reported conducting no pre-purchase research.
Information Source (n = 3362) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 591) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 2771) |
---|---|---|
Talking to friends or family who own or had owned a dog | 54.8 | 65.3 |
A breed/crossbreed-specific online resource (e.g., website/forum) | 54.8 | 60.1 |
The Kennel Club website | 50.6 | 54.2 |
Talking to a dog breeder | 53.6 | 49.7 |
Social media sites, e.g., Facebook, Instagram | 43.5 | 47.2 |
An animal charity website, e.g., Dogs Trust, RSPCA, PDSA, etc. | 28.8 | 45.0 |
Book(s) | 30.1 | 35.0 |
My veterinary professional (e.g., veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse) | 14.0 | 11.3 |
Dog-specific magazine(s) | 6.4 | 5.4 |
Other digital sources (e.g., articles on the internet, TV shows) | 3.7 | 3.2 |
Talking to a non-veterinary animal professional (e.g., dog trainer, behaviourist) | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Talking to current dog owners that I met (that were not friends or family) | 2.4 | 1.0 |
I can’t remember | 0.8 | 0.3 |
From professional experience with dogs in my workplace | 0.7 | 0.3 |
Seeking practical experience of caring for dogs (e.g., dog sitting, fostering) | 0.2 | 0.1 |
Method of Initially Finding Puppy
Method of Initially Finding Puppy (n = 5277) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 1100) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 4177) |
---|---|---|
An animal specific selling website, e.g., Pets4Homes, Champdogs | 34.5 | 45.0 |
I already knew the breeder (e.g., colleague, friends, family, repeat purchase) | 26.8 | 19.8 |
Recommendation from a friend | 11.5 | 14.3 |
The Kennel Club website ‘Find A Puppy’ search | 16.9 | 11.8 |
A general selling website, e.g., FreeAds, Gumtree, Preloved | 9.3 | 9.3 |
A social media breed/ crossbreed specific group | 8.5 | 8.4 |
The breeder’s website | 8.7 | 7.6 |
The breeder’s social media account | 6.5 | 6.0 |
Recommendation from another breeder/stud dog owner | 1.2 | 2.0 |
Recommendation from someone who is not a colleague, friend, family member or animal professional | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Dog specific magazine(s)/newspaper(s) | 0.3 | 0.6 |
An advert seen in another online location | 0.6 | 0.3 |
The breeder contacted me directly following general expression of interest for a puppy | 0.1 | 0.3 |
Local newspaper advert | 0.0 | 0.2 |
Recommendation from an animal professional (e.g., veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse, dog trainer) | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Recommendation from a stranger | 0.2 | 0.2 |
An advert in a local shop | 0.1 | 0.0 |
A physical advert in another location (e.g., vets noticeboard) | 0.2 | 0.0 |
Puppy Viewing Practice
Viewing Practice (n = 5280) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 1100) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 4180) |
---|---|---|
Yes—visited the breeder’s property in person | 80.6 | 59.6 |
Yes—saw photos or a pre-recorded video of my/our puppy | 31.2 | 51.6 |
Yes—saw my/our puppy on a live video call with their breeder | 6.5 | 28.9 |
No—I did not ask to see my/our puppy | 4.7 | 4.9 |
No—the purchase was a rapid decision, so my puppy was brought home on the same day they were viewed | 5.1 | 2.7 |
No—I was unable to visit due to the breeder being too far away to travel to | 1.7 | 2.0 |
No—I wanted to see my/our puppy, but the breeder refused | 0.1 | 1.1 |
No—but a friend/relative visited the breeder’s property on my behalf | 0.1 | 0.2 |
Yes—I saw my puppy in person but not at the breeder’s property | 0.0 | 0.1 |
No—I only spoke to the breeder by telephone | 0.1 | 0.1 |
No—I asked to visit but personal circumstances meant I was unable to visit myself or get someone else to visit on my behalf | 0.1 | 0.0 |
- Owner Suitability: Approximately 25% of owners in both groups were not questioned about their suitability as dog owners.
- First-Choice Breed: Pandemic Puppy owners were less likely to purchase their first-choice breed (86.6%) compared to 2019 puppy owners (91.6%). The primary reasons for this were high costs and limited availability.
First Choice Breed? (n = 5374) | 2019 (%) (n = 1118) | 2020 (%) (n = 4256) |
---|---|---|
Yes | 91.6 | 86.6 |
No, I could not find a seller that had puppies available at the time for my first choice | 1.2 | 3.8 |
No, first choice too expensive | 0.8 | 2.8 |
No, I/we didn’t have a specific choice in mind | 3.0 | 2.7 |
No, I could not find a breeder I felt happy buying my puppy from for my first choice | 0.4 | 1.3 |
No, I/we changed our mind | 1.0 | 0.8 |
No, I/we wanted a rescue dog but were unable to source one | 0.4 | 0.7 |
No, but I had several breeds (≤3) I was interested in and got one of them | 0.4 | 0.3 |
No, puppies of my first choice were too far away | 0.3 | 0.2 |
No, our planned purchase of our first choice fell through | 0.3 | 0.2 |
No, but I had several breeds (>3) that I was interested in and got one of those | 0.6 | 0.5 |
- Multiple Litters: Around one in seven puppies in both groups came from breeders with multiple litters at the same time. (of the same breed, 2019: 8.7% vs. 2020: 10.1%; of a different breed, 2019: 4.6% vs. 2020: 4.4%)
Purchase Behaviour
- Decision to Acquisition Time: Pandemic Puppy owners took longer to acquire their puppies compared to 2019 owners.
- Waiting Lists:
- 2019: 73.0% did not join a waiting list
- 2020: 71.5% did not join a waiting list
- Deposits:
- Paid a deposit before seeing the puppy:
- 2019: 8.9%
- 2020: 17.2%
- Never asked to pay a deposit:
- 2019: 37.5%
- 2020: 28.6%
- Paid a deposit before seeing the puppy:
- Purchase Price: Pandemic Puppy owners paid significantly more for their puppies, with 24.3% spending £2000-£2999. (2019: 1.8%)
- Puppy Age at Purchase: Pandemic Puppies were more likely to be purchased at a younger age (7-8 weeks) compared to 2019 puppies. (2019: 52.5% vs. 2020: 67.3%)
- Breeder Pressure: A very small percentage (2019: 1.5% vs. 2020: 2.3%) of owners felt pressured by their breeders.
Locations Owners Received Their Puppy
Location (n = 5280) | Acquired in 2019 (n = 1100) | Acquired in 2020 (n = 4180) |
---|---|---|
The breeder’s property—from inside their home | 84.7 | 51.0 |
The breeder’s property—from outside their home, e.g., doorstep, garden | 5.5 | 29.8 |
The breeder’s property—an outdoor kennels, barn or outbuilding | 13.2 | 14.8 |
The breeder delivered my puppy to my property | 1.0 | 5.2 |
A service station | 0.0 | 1.4 |
A car park | 0.3 | 1.1 |
A courier/pet transporter delivered my puppy to my property | 0.5 | 0.9 |
Breeder/courier met us half way (location unspecified) | 0.1 | 0.5 |
The breeder’s workplace or non-residential property (e.g., holiday home) | 0.3 | 0.4 |
A veterinary practice | 0.1 | 0.2 |
Other transport location (e.g., train station or ferry port) | 0.0 | 0.2 |
Other public location (e.g., park, shop, hotel) | 0.0 | 0.2 |
An airport | 0.1 | 0.1 |
A lay-by | 0.0 | 0.1 |
A friend collected and delivered my puppy for me | 0.1 | 0.0 |
Owners’ Requests for Information Related to Health Testing of Their Puppies’ Parents
Test Type | Request and Provision of Information | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 908) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 3509) |
---|---|---|---|
Results of DNA (genetic) tests (n = 4296) | Yes, and they provided me with it | 48.5 | 40.7 |
Yes, but they could not provide me with it | 2.6 | 4.3 | |
No, I did not ask about this | 41.0 | 46.7 | |
No, I do not believe there are any tests available for my puppy’s breed/crossbreed | 8.0 | 8.2 | |
Results of veterinary screening tests (e.g., hips, elbows, knees, eyes, respiratory testing) (n = 4394) | Yes, and they provided me with it | 58.1 | 46.4 |
Yes, but they could not provide me with it | 3.7 | 4.8 | |
No, I did not ask about this | 30.8 | 41.2 | |
No, I do not believe there are any tests available for my puppy’s breed/crossbreed | 7.4 | 7.6 |
Other Dogs Seen at the Seller’s Premises on the Day of Purchase
Other Dogs and Their Relationship to the Purchased Puppy (n = 5168) | Acquired in 2019 (n = 1073) | Acquired in 2020 (n = 4095) |
---|---|---|
Their mother (dam) | 85.7 | 75.1 |
Their littermates | 84.9 | 72.1 |
Another dog(s) they were not related to (e.g., another breed) | 33.2 | 25.7 |
Their father (sire) | 26.9 | 23.5 |
I only saw my/our puppy | 4.9 | 12.7 |
Adult dog(s) they were related to (e.g., aunts, grandparents, older siblings) | 8.6 | 5.5 |
Other puppies (unsure if they were littermates) | 4.3 | 2.8 |
I’m not sure, I wasn’t the person who collected my/our puppy | 0.2 | 0.9 |
Other puppies my puppy was related to (but not littermates) | 0.4 | 0.3 |
I don’t remember | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Another adult dog(s) the breeder claimed were my puppy’s parent(s), but I’m not sure | 0.3 | 0.1 |
Other puppies they were not related to (e.g., another breed) | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Puppy Contract
- Puppy Contract Awareness and Usage:
- Approximately 40% of owners in both groups were aware of The Puppy Contract.
- Around two-thirds of those aware used the contract during their purchase.
Reason for not using a puppy contract (n = 689) | Acquired in 2019 (%) (n = 151) | Acquired in 2020 (%) (n = 538) |
---|---|---|
I didn’t feel it was needed for the sale of my puppy as I was confident in my own purchasing decision | 21.9 | 28.2 |
The breeder did not offer to use The Puppy Contract | 20.5 | 22.4 |
I used a written contract with the breeder, but not The Puppy Contract | 15.9 | 12.4 |
I didn’t feel it was needed, as the breeder is a friend, family member or someone I’ve bought a puppy from before | 13.9 | 10.2 |
I didn’t know enough or feel confident enough about The Puppy Contract to use it | 7.2 | 6.3 |
I forgot to use it when purchasing my puppy | 2.6 | 6.1 |
I didn’t think it was relevant and/or possible for the sale of my puppy | 7.3 | 5.6 |
The breeder didn’t agree to use The Puppy Contract when asked | 0.7 | 3.9 |
I used a verbal contract with the breeder, but not The Puppy Contract: | 2.6 | 2.2 |
I felt uncomfortable proposing its use and/or feared repercussions of suggesting it | 0.7 | 2.0 |
I have negative views on the value of The Puppy Contract | 2.0 | 0.9 |
Influence of COVID-19 on Puppy-Purchasing Decisions
- New Dog Owners: 11.0% of Pandemic Puppy owners had not previously considered owning a dog.
- COVID-19 Influence: 41.5% of Pandemic Puppy owners reported that COVID-19 influenced their decision to purchase a puppy.
Reasons Why the Pandemic Influenced Decisions
Reason (n = 2809) | % | n |
---|---|---|
I/we had more time to care for a dog | 86.7 | 1378 |
I/we wanted something happy to focus on | 30.0 | 477 |
I/we wanted a reason to go outside to exercise more | 29.6 | 470 |
I/we wanted more company due to being at home more | 24.5 | 390 |
I/we had extra money to spend that I/we would have usually spent on other things | 17.7 | 282 |
I/we wanted more company as family and/or friends were unable to visit me/us | 9.1 | 144 |
I/we were bored due to the restrictions imposed by lockdown | 4.3 | 69 |
My child/children were at home and I/we wanted something to keep them busy | 4.1 | 65 |
I/we experienced mental health challenges due to the pandemic, that I/we wanted a puppy to help us with | 0.9 | 15 |
I/we wanted a dog from another source (e.g., rescue) but were unable to due to pandemic, so bought a puppy instead | 0.8 | 13 |
My/our existing dog experienced mental health challenges due to the pandemic, that I/we wanted a puppy to help them with | 0.1 | 2 |