Generation Pup: A new study from the Dogs Trust
How did Generation Pup start?
Generous funding from the UK’s largest dog charity Dogs Trust has enabled researchers from Dogs Trust, the Royal Veterinary College, and the University of Bristol to set up and launch ‘Generation Pup. Generation Pup is a groundbreaking study of the health, welfare and behaviour of our dogs throughout their whole lives.
Our furry friends play an important role in our families and daily lives, and have an irreplaceable place in our hearts. If your dog has ever been injured, suffered from a disease or had behavioural problems you’ll know how upsetting this can be. The research being undertaken by the Generation Pup team is essential to better understand how and why these problems develop, so they can be prevented and treated.
Do you have a puppy aged 16 weeks or less, or do you have contact with puppy owners?
How does Generation Pup work?
Generation Pup is the first study to follow dogs of all breeds from puppy-hood as they grow up into adults. The aim is to recruit 5,000 puppies aged 16 weeks or less, across all breeds or crossbreeds, from across the UK.
Data about your dog will be gathered using questionnaires completed by yourself. In order to expand the research, owners can also grant the research team access to veterinary records, provide samples (e.g. faeces/hair/cheek swabs), and/or take health cards to their vet for completion at routine visits.
Why sign your puppy up to Generation Pup?
Generation Pup has the great advantage of collecting information about dogs as they move through their lives–this is so that the ages at which problems arise and the factors which might have contributed to their development can be identified. Researchers in the Generation Pup team can use the gathered information to investigate the role played by aspects such as environment, social interaction, diet, exercise, or daily routine in a puppy’s development. Knowledge of important risk factors can be used to develop strategies to help reduce the likelihood of associated diseases and behavioural problems affecting dogs in the future.
The results of the study may suggest preventative measures that can be put in place, or lead to new approaches for therapy or treatment. However, for this type of research to be successful lots of help is needed from dog owners. Owners will be asked to regularly update the team on various aspects of their puppy’s life, behaviour and experiences, so that common trends or themes can be discovered.
So becoming a part of the ‘Generation Pup’ community is highly recommended as you’ll contribute to the development of an exciting new dog science initiative!
Generation Pup has the potential to be the largest study of our canine companions of this generation. If you would like to find out more please visit www.generationpup.ac.uk or get in touch with a member of our team at generationpup@dogstrust.org.uk, or by phoning 07434 843460.
Have you and your furry friend ever been involved in research? Do you have any recommendations for pups taking part? We’d love to hear your views and ideas so leave a comment below and join our pet-loving community on the Lintbells Facebook and Instagram pages.
