[Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd.] 40% of owners are worried about their dog’s “unnecessary barking”: research by pet insurance “PS Insurance” *Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 4, 2024
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40% of owners are worried about their dog’s “unnecessary barking”: research by pet insurance “PS Insurance”
*There are cases where your dog’s unnecessary barking can be improved through training*
Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Yonemitsu) provides pet insurance “PS Insurance”
(Akihito) recently conducted a survey of 875 dog owners aged 20 to 69 across the country (number of valid responses) to investigate the actual situation regarding “unnecessary barking in pet dogs.” We will introduce the results in detail.
* [Survey overview] *
Period: April 18-20, 2024 (3 days)
Target: Dog owners aged 20 to 69 nationwide
Method: Internet research
Number of valid responses: 875 (3,007 people were surveyed and responses were received from 875 people, or 29%)
*When quoting this aggregated data, please clearly state “Pet Insurance ‘PS Insurance Survey'” as the source.
* [Survey results: The actual situation regarding unnecessary barking of pet dogs] *
・About 40% of owners have had trouble with their dog’s excessive barking. ・Many dogs bark unnecessarily in response to sounds such as intercoms or sirens, or people or cars passing by outside the house.
・The most common method of discipline is “distracting children with treats or toys” (30%).
– Approximately 60% of owners answered that their dog’s barking frequency has decreased through training.
・The most common time taken to train a pet dog was 3 months or more but less than 6 months (39%).
*This aggregated data is rounded to the first decimal place, so the total of the aggregated values may not necessarily add up to 100%. *For questions marked as “Multiple answers allowed” in the graph, the percentage for each option is calculated using the number of respondents to the question as the denominator, so the total value may exceed 100%.
* Approximately 40% of owners have experienced trouble with their dog’s unnecessary barking *
For dogs, barking is considered to be a form of emotional expression and communication. However, if your dog barks too loudly, it can be a nuisance not only to the owner but also to the people living nearby.
According to a survey conducted this time, approximately 40% of pet owners had experienced problems with their dog’s excessive barking.
* Often reacts to the sound of an intercom or siren*
Among owners who have had trouble with their dog’s excessive barking, the most common reason for barking was “noises such as intercoms and sirens” (35%). This was followed by “people and cars passing by outside the house” (30%) and “people and dogs I encounter while walking” (22%).
There are many reasons why dogs bark, but they often bark when they are wary or fearful of loud noises or objects, or when they are excited.
How to train your dog to stop barking?
The most common method of training dogs for excessive barking was “distracting their attention with treats or toys” (30%). Show your dog your favorite things in front of him and then hand it to him when he becomes quiet. In this case, it is effective to praise your dog a lot.
In this survey, many respondents (26%) said they would “strongly scold” them. If your dog’s unnecessary barking doesn’t go away, you may be tempted to let your emotions get the better of you and scold him. However, scolding strongly will not only stress your dog, but may also lead to the misunderstanding that the owner is taking care of the dog. Restrain your urge to scold and praise your dog when it becomes calm.
Furthermore, it is also effective to ignore your dog if it keeps barking, and to thoroughly train it to sit and house train it. It is also effective to take your dog out for walks frequently to get him used to other dogs and people.
As a result of training, approximately 60% of respondents said their barking frequency had decreased.
Approximately 60% of owners answered that their dog’s barking frequency had “slightly decreased” or “much decreased” as a result of training (15% for each response, 44% total).
The results show that many owners feel the effects of training their dogs. On the other hand, 38% of owners answered that there was no change, indicating that there are cases where training is difficult.
How long did it take to train? There are cases where the effects are visible over a year or more.
The most common answer (39%) was that it took more than 3 months but less than half a year to see the effects of training, such as reducing the frequency of dog barking. However, 24% of owners answered that it took them “more than a year,” so it seems that there are cases where you have to be patient and take your time.
The time it takes to train a dog is thought to vary depending on individual differences and the owner’s attitude and awareness towards training.
If your dog is excessively barking, consult a professional.
In this survey, we found that in many cases, training can improve your dog’s unnecessary barking. However, even if you train your child, you may not see any change or it may take some time.
First, consider why your dog is barking and try to distract it or gradually get it used to the environment. If your dog’s barking does not improve at all despite training, or if it is causing a nuisance to your neighbors, consult your local veterinary clinic and listen to the advice of experts.
As a service to policyholders, Pet Medical Support’s pet insurance “PS Insurance” provides a free “Veterinarian Dial” service (*1) that allows you to call an experienced veterinarian 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Even when your local veterinary hospital is out of business hours, you can feel at ease knowing that you can consult with us right away.
*1 Call charges will be borne by the customer.
■Veterinarian dial available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year https://pshoken.co.jp/summary/veterinarian_dial.html
PS insurance coverage covers a wide range of conditions, from minor outpatient treatment to hospitalization accompanied by surgery. You can receive sufficient compensation at affordable premiums, and the premium increases (*2) are gradual, once every 3 years of age, making it easy to maintain pet insurance for a lifetime.
*2 This does not guarantee future insurance premiums.
■Features of the pet insurance product “PS Insurance”
https://pshoken.co.jp/summary/
Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd.
Representative: Akihito Yonemitsu, President and Representative Director Address: 2nd floor, Aoyama Tower Place, 8-4-14 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052
Business start date: May 2, 2008
Business details: Small-amount, short-term insurance business (Registration number: Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Small-amount, short-term insurance) No. 24)
Capital: 332.75 million yen (as of March 2024)
URL: https://pshoken.co.jp/