{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T22:55:48Z","timestamp":1788389748778,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,28]],"date-time":"2024-03-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1711584000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Dogs Trust"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Dogs are the most common pet animal species in the UK. Little is known about information and advice gathering within the process of dog acquisition, nor what pre-acquisition research encompasses. This study aimed to better understand the preparatory research undertaken by prospective dog owners in the UK. A 2019 online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data about dog acquisition. Analyses within this study focused on a subset of these current (n = 4381) and potential (n = 2350) owners who had undertaken research, or who reported planning to do so, before acquiring a dog. Additional qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with current (n = 24) and potential (n = 8) dog owners. Among those current owners who had sought information or advice, websites were the most common source of information (76%), followed by family and friends (70%), and online forums (51%). Similar patterns were seen among potential owners. Qualitative data revealed that information was commonly sought on the following: general information about dogs; information about breeds or types of dogs; owner requirements and dog suitability; aspects of dog ownership; and how to source a dog. The majority of prospective owners stated that they had found all the information they wanted (96% of current owners and 90% of potential owners) but some respondents found conflicting advice from different sources and did not know which sources to trust. Our study shows that, for some prospective owners, research into various aspects of dog acquisition and ownership is important. Knowing where to look for correct and unbiased advice, particularly online, is particularly important. Understanding the pre-acquisition research that owners undertake, including the sources they use, information they are interested in finding, and the challenges they face, is of interest to animal welfare and veterinary organisations and those involved in rehoming and selling dogs. This information may help inform interventions aimed at improving the knowledge and decisions made by potential dog owners.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14071033","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,28]],"date-time":"2024-03-28T12:09:40Z","timestamp":1711627780000},"page":"1033","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["UK Dog Owners\u2019 Pre-Acquisition Information- and Advice-Seeking: A Mixed Methods Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2849-0307","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca","family":"Mead","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4658-2662","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katrina E.","family":"Holland","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6559-9531","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachel A.","family":"Casey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Melissa M.","family":"Upjohn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9250-3032","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert M.","family":"Christley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"PFMA (2022, May 31). UK Pet Population. Available online: https:\/\/www.ukpetfood.org\/information-centre\/statistics\/uk-pet-population.html."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.7120\/09627286.26.2.191","article-title":"Purchasing popular purebreds: Investigating the influence of breed-type on the pre-purchase motivations and behaviour of dog owners","volume":"26","author":"Packer","year":"2017","journal-title":"Anim. Welf."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Dogs Trust (2022, May 13). Puppy Smuggling: Puppies Still Paying as Government Delays. Available online: https:\/\/www.dogstrust.org.uk\/downloads\/2020%20Puppy%20smuggling%20report.pdf."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Wyatt, T., Maher, J., and Biddle, P. (2022, May 13). Scoping Research on the Sourcing of Pet Dogs from Illegal Importation and Puppy Farms 2016-17. Scottish Government, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.scot\/publications\/scoping-research-sourcing-pet-dogs-illegal-importation-puppy-farms-2016\/documents\/."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"75","article-title":"Using the Mini C-BARQ to Investigate the Effects of Puppy Farming on Dog Behaviour","volume":"206","author":"Wauthier","year":"2018","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Stavisky, J., Brennan, M.L., Downes, M., and Dean, R. (2012). Demographics and economic burden of un-owned cats and dogs in the UK: Results of a 2010 census. BMC Vet. Res., 8.","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-6148-8-163"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.100524","article-title":"Number of cats and dogs in UK welfare organisations","volume":"170","author":"Clark","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jensen, J.B.H., Sand\u00f8e, P., and Nielsen, S.S. (2020). Owner-related reasons matter more than behavioural problems\u2014A study of why owners relinquished dogs and cats to a Danish animal shelter from 1996 to 2017. Animals, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10061064"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2014.11.002","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of the proportion of dogs surrendered for dog-related and owner-related reasons","volume":"118","author":"Lambert","year":"2015","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"857634","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.857634","article-title":"Reasons for Guardian-Relinquishment of Dogs to Shelters: Animal and Regional Predictors in British Columbia, Canada","volume":"9","author":"Eagan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1080\/10888700903369255","article-title":"Characteristics of relinquished dogs and their owners at 14 rehoming centers in the United Kingdom","volume":"13","author":"Diesel","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1331793","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2024.1331793","article-title":"Owner expectations and surprises of dog ownership experiences in the United Kingdom","volume":"11","author":"Anderson","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"The Kennel Club (2023, January 16). Discover Dogs. Available online: https:\/\/www.discoverdogs.org.uk\/."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Dogs Trust (2022, May 13). Getting or Buying a Dog. Available online: https:\/\/www.dogstrust.org.uk\/help-advice\/getting-or-buying-a-dog\/."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Kennel Club (2022, May 13). When Buying a Dog. Available online: https:\/\/www.thekennelclub.org.uk\/getting-a-dog\/buying-a-dog\/."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (2022, May 13). Buying a Puppy. Available online: https:\/\/www.rspca.org.uk\/adviceandwelfare\/pets\/dogs\/puppy."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"People\u2019s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) (2022, May 13). Getting a Dog. Available online: https:\/\/www.pdsa.org.uk\/pet-help-and-advice\/looking-after-your-pet\/puppies-dogs\/getting-a-dog."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"412","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.1820","article-title":"Going beyond \u2018educating\u2019: Using behaviour change frameworks to help pet owners make evidence-based welfare decisions","volume":"190","author":"Upjohn","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"PDSA (2024, March 21). PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2023. Available online: https:\/\/www.pdsa.org.uk\/media\/13976\/pdsa-paw-report-2023.pdf."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Packer, R.M.A., Brand, C.L., Belshaw, Z., Pegram, C.L., Stevens, K.B., and O\u2019neill, D.G. (2021). Pandemic puppies: Characterising motivations and behaviours of UK owners who purchased puppies during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11092500"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1081","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.1081","article-title":"Information sourcing by dog owners in the UK: Resource selection and perceptions of knowledge","volume":"190","author":"Kuhl","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Kuhl, C. (2017). An Investigation of Pedigree Dog Breeding and Ownership in the UK: Experiences and Opinions of Veterinary Surgeons, Pedigree Dog Breeders and Dog Owners. [Ph.D. Thesis, The University of Nottingham]."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mead, R., Holland, K.E., Casey, R.A., Upjohn, M.M., and Christley, R.M. (2023). \u201cDo Your Homework as Your Heart Takes over When You Go Looking\u201d: Factors Associated with Pre-Acquisition Information-Seeking among Prospective UK Dog Owners. Animals, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13061015"},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"University of Bristol (2022, June 23). One in Five Puppy Buyers No Longer Have Their Pet Two Years Later. Available online: https:\/\/www.bristol.ac.uk\/news\/2011\/7448.html."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"PDSA (2022, May 16). PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2020. Available online: https:\/\/www.pdsa.org.uk\/media\/10540\/pdsa-paw-report-2020.pdf."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Philpotts, I., Blackwell, E.J., Dillon, J., Tipton, E., and Rooney, N.J. (2024). What Do We Know about Dog Owners? Exploring Associations between Pre-Purchase Behaviours, Knowledge and Understanding, Ownership Practices, and Dog Welfare. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14030396"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.3163\/1536-5050.100.3.010","article-title":"The Internet and health information: Differences in pet owners based on age, gender, and education","volume":"100","author":"Kogan","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Med. Libr. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"601","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.104716","article-title":"UK pet owners\u2019 use of the internet for online pet health information","volume":"182","author":"Kogan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.5455\/OVJ.2014.v4.i2.p90","article-title":"Information prescriptions: A tool for veterinary practices","volume":"4","author":"Kogan","year":"2014","journal-title":"Open Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"358","DOI":"10.12968\/coan.2017.22.6.358","article-title":"Pet owners and the internet","volume":"22","author":"Oxley","year":"2017","journal-title":"Companion Anim."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1487","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.1487","article-title":"Scoping review to assess online information available to new dog owners","volume":"190","author":"Kuhl","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"877950","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.877950","article-title":"Why Do People Want Dogs? A Mixed-Methods Study of Motivations for Dog Acquisition in the United Kingdom","volume":"9","author":"Holland","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Holland, K.E., Mead, R., Casey, R.A., Upjohn, M.M., and Christley, R.M. (2021). \u201cDon\u2019t Bring Me a Dog\u2026I\u2019ll Just Keep It\u201d: Understanding Unplanned Dog Acquisitions Amongst a Sample of Dog Owners Attending Canine Health and Welfare Community Events in the United Kingdom. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11030605"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Holland, K.E. (2019). Acquiring a pet dog: A review of factors affecting the decision-making of prospective dog owners. Animals, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani9040124"},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Herzog, H. (2021). Women Dominate Research on Human-Animal Bond. Am. Psychol., Available online: https:\/\/www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=sc_herzog_compiss."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"R Core Team (2022, May 18). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria. Available online: https:\/\/www.R-project.org\/."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Hammersley, M. (1992). What\u2019s Wrong with Ethnography?, Routledge."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Symon, G., and Cassell, C. (2012). Qualitative Organizational Research, Sage."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1753","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732315617444","article-title":"Sample Size in Qualitative Interview Studies: Guided by Information Power","volume":"26","author":"Malterud","year":"2016","journal-title":"Qual. Health Res."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"202","DOI":"10.1080\/14780887.2014.955224","article-title":"The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research","volume":"12","author":"Brooks","year":"2015","journal-title":"Qual. Res. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"The Kennel Club (2022, June 23). The Kennel Club Assured Breeders. Available online: https:\/\/www.thekennelclub.org.uk\/dog-breeding\/the-kennel-club-assured-breeders\/."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e7","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.7","article-title":"Driving evidence-based improvements for the UK\u2019s \u2018Stressed. Lonely. Overweight. Bored. Aggressive. Misunderstood\u2026but loved\u2019 companion animals","volume":"189","author":"Wensley","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"(2024, March 22). PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2018. Available online: https:\/\/www.pdsa.org.uk\/media\/4371\/paw-2018-full-web-ready.pdf."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pound, L., Farrow, M., O\u2019Neill, D., Deane, D.J., and Packer, R.M.A. (2024). \u2018All I do is fight fires\u2019: Qualitative exploration of UK veterinarians\u2019 attitudes towards and experiences of pre-purchase consultations regarding brachycephalic dogs. Vet. Rec., e3897.","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.3897"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"eabk0639","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abk0639","article-title":"Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes","volume":"376","author":"Morrill","year":"2022","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Powell, L., Lee, B., Reinhard, C.L., Morris, M., Satriale, D., Serpell, J., and Watson, B. (2022). Returning a Shelter Dog: The Role of Owner Expectations and Dog Behavior. Animals, 12.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-05101-5"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2007.12.004","article-title":"Factors affecting the success of rehoming dogs in the UK during 2005","volume":"84","author":"Diesel","year":"2008","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/7\/1033\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T14:20:13Z","timestamp":1760106013000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/7\/1033"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,28]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ani14071033"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani14071033","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,28]]}}}