The Dogs Trust reports that, in the UK, French bulldogs, dachshunds, cockapoos and cavapoos were the ’top five lockdown dogs’ and that they are being abandoned like never before.

We’re not yet seeing this level of unwanted dogs in the Isle of Man, but it’s probably just around the corner and we predict a spike in young dogs coming into the ManxSPCA for rehoming in the first half of 2022.

Sadly, some of these young dogs will have been bred in conditions focused on high volume rather than welfare, have been taken away from their mothers at too young an age, and then transported long distances, and exposed to lots of stressful experiences ⦠all of which will have an impact on their future health and behaviour.

Although the Isle of Man’s lockdowns have been less severe than those in the UK, social distancing has meant that many puppies haven’t gone out and met other puppies and dogs as much as they may have done in pre-pandemic times.

Inadequate socialisation can result in a whole range of behavioural problems such as fear-related reactions towards other dogs, animals and people (manifesting either in aggression or a complete lack of confidence); and not being able to cope with crowds or loud noises.

There’s more too: dogs typically go through adolescence at about nine months, although the exact age varies from breed to breed with larger dogs developing at a slower rate.

As with human teenagers, adolescent dogs can be overwhelmed by changes in their hormones and their brain activity, and they can just switch off and ignore even the most basic commands.

The once-cute puppy can turn into a difficult, even dangerous, dog.

And financial considerations can’t be underestimated.

The rise in the cost of living, from the price of fuel to the cost of the weekly shop, makes it increasingly difficult for people to afford a dog, particularly if there are large vets’ bills to pay.

A timely reminder, then, that pet insurance should be high up on the agenda for all puppy owners.

If you are one of the hundreds of cockerpoo puppy owners, are you aware of how prevalent problem skin conditions are in the breed, and how expensive they can be to treat?

Finding a vet hasn’t been easy during 2021, either, with a perfect storm of ’fewer vets and more pets’.

The profession has seen a decrease in its numbers, with baby-boomers retiring and fewer international vets coming to the UK and the Isle of Man because of pandemic travel restrictions (which have particularly affected vets from Australia and New Zealand) and post-Brexit visa issues affecting EU-qualified vets.

Whilst we predict an increase in young dogs needing to find new homes in 2022, we’ve had a real mixture of dogs in our rescue kennels in the past year - from enormous Newfoundlands to tiny chihuahuas; and from an eight-week-old Labrador puppy to a 14-year-old Staffie.

We don’t have any favourites because they are all special dogs, and so we have chosen to feature a recent arrival called Sammy, who came to us because his owner was unable to keep him.

We never judge an owner’s reason for needing to rehome their pet - we simply ask questions about the animal so that we can better understand their requirements.

We had several potential adopters for Sammy on our files, and he is now ’on trial’ with a family who appreciate that he’s a proper terrier - i.e. a small dog with a big personality.

If you would like to adopt rather than shop for a dog, please fill out a home finder questionnaire form which you can find on the adoption page of our website, or in the reception area at Ard Jerkyll.

We will then do our very best to match you with a canine companion who fits your lifestyle.