Generation Pup: Research

Our research to date on Generation Pup data.

Key people: Dr Rachel Casey, Dr Jane Murray, Rachel Kinsman, Dr Mel Weedon, Chloe Maher, Zera Gentle and Rosa Da Costa.

Please find the Generation Pup project objectives, publications and papers below. There is also lots of information on the Generation Pup website (where dog owners can also sign up), or you can find us on Facebook or X.

Project background and summary

Generation Pup is the first study to follow dogs of all breeds throughout their lives, focussing on their health and behaviour as they age. We are asking owners of all UK and Republic of Ireland puppies under 16 weeks of age, of any breed or cross breed, to sign up and become part of the Generation Pup community.

By collecting information and biological samples for puppies, researchers in the Generation Pup team can investigate whether aspects such as genetics, environment, social interaction, diet, exercise, or daily routine may be important in the development of a range of health and behaviour conditions which impact on the well-being of our dogs.

The problem, and its context within Dogs Trust.

Behavioural problems, chronic disease and injuries represent a major welfare concern in dogs. There is remarkably little good quality research evidence about common health and behavioural problems that impact on dog welfare. These conditions may only become apparent in mid/later life but involve early-life factors (e.g., environment, diet, specific learnt experiences).

The optimal approach to accurately determine the temporal relationship between risk factors and diseases or behaviours is to undertake a prospective cohort study, where puppy owners are recruited, and information gathered about risk factors and outcomes of interest throughout the dogs’ lives.

The long-term aims are to:

Follow the cohort through mid and later life to record the incidence of outcome measures of importance to canine welfare.
Investigate earlier life and genetic risk factors for focal outcome measures using nested case-control studies.
Recruit a large enough sample size of dogs to investigate rarer conditions.
Stakeholders include dog owners, veterinarians, veterinary nurses, dog breeders, dog trainers and canine welfare organisations.

GenPup peer-reviewed publications

2024

Kinsman, R.H.*, Jim, H-L, Casey, R.A., Ruiz-Izaguirre, E., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S., Cooper, B., Tasker, S., Murray, J.K. (2024) Puppy Socialization Experiences in Relation to Age and COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in the UK and ROI. Animals, 14 (10),1471.

2023

Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Da Costa, R.E.P., Harvey, N.D., Giragosian, K., Kinsman, R.H., Casey, R.A., Tasker, S. and Murray, J.K. (2023) “It’s like living with a sassy teenager!”: A mixed-methods analysis of dog owners’ perceptions and experiences of dog behaviour between the ages of 12 weeks and 2 years. Animals.
Clark, N.L., Bates, K.T., Harris, L.H., Tomlinson, A.W., Murray, J.K., Comerford, E.J. (2023) GenPup-M: A novel validated owner-reported clinical metrology instrument for detecting early mobility changes in dogs. PloS ONE 18(12): e0291035.

2022

Kinsman, R.H., Main, K.E., Casey, R.A., Da Costa, R.E.P., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Knowles, T.G., Tasker, S. and Murray, J.K. (2022) Dog walk frequency and duration: Analysis of a cohort of dogs up to 15 months of age. J. App. Animal Behav. Science.
Kinsman, R.H., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Casey, R.A., Da Costa, R.E.P., Tasker, S. and Murray, J.K. (2022) Introducing a puppy to existing household cat(s): A mixed method analysis. Animals.
Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Holland, K.E., Anderson, K.L., Casey, R.A., Christley, R.M., Harris, L., McMillan, K.M., Mead, R., Murray, J.K., Samet, L. and Upjohn, M.M. (2022) Accessing Veterinary Healthcare during Covid-19: a Mixed-Methods Analysis of UK and Republic of Ireland Dog Owners’ Concerns and Experiences. Vet. Rec.

2021

Da Costa, R.E.P., Kinsman, R.H., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Casey, R.A., Tasker, S., Knowles, T.G., Woodward, J.L., Lord, M.S. and Murray, J.K. (2021) Age of sexual maturity and factors associated with neutering dogs in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Vet Rec.
Holland, K.E., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., Anderson, K.L., Casey, R.A., Christley, R.M., Harris, L., McMillan, K.M., Mead, R., Murray, J.K., Samet, L., Upjohn, M.M. (2021) ‘More Attention than Usual’: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown. Animals 2021, 11 (1), 240.
Murray, J.K., Kinsman, R.H., Lord, M.S., Da Costa, R.E.P., Woodward, J.L., Owczarczak-Garstecka, Knowles, T.G., Tasker, S., Casey, R.A. (2021) 'Generation Pup' – protocol for a longitudinal study of dog behaviour and health. BMC Vet Research.
Woodward, J.L., Casey, R.A., Lord, M.S., Kinsman, R.H., Da Costa, R.E.P., Knowles, T.G., Tasker, S. and Murray, J.K. (2021) Factors influencing owner-reported approaches to training dogs enrolled in the Generation Pup longitudinal Study. J. App Animal Behav.Science.

2020

Kinsman, R.H, Owczarczak-Garstecka, S., Casey, R., Knowles, T., Tasker, S., Woodward, J., Da Costa, R. and Murray, J. (2020) Sleep Duration and Behaviours: A Descriptive Analysis of a Cohort of Dogs up to 12 Months of Age. Animals 2020, 10, 1172; doi:10.3390/ani10071172.
Kinsman, R.H., Casey, R.A., Knowles, T.G., Tasker, S., Lord, M.S., Da Costa, R.E.P., Woodward, J.L., Murray, J.K. (2020) Puppy acquisition: factors associated with acquiring a puppy under eight weeks of age and without viewing the mother. Veterinary Record. 187. 112-112. 10.1136/vr.105789.
Lord, M., Casey, R.A., Tasker, S., Knowles, T.G., Kinsman, R.H., Da Costa, R.E., Woodward, J.L., Murray, J.K. (2020) Owner perception of problem behaviours in dogs aged 6 and 9-months. J App Anim Behav.
Samet L, Buckland E, Casey R, Lord M, Kinsman R, Da Costa R, Woodward J, Tasker S, Knowles T, Sexton R, Murray J. (2020) Diet and Feeding for Wellbeing - Early findings from Generation Pup. 10.13140/RG.2.2.27320.70401.

2019

Murray, Jane & Casey, Rachel & Lord, M. & Kinsman, Rachel & Da Costa, Rosa & Woodward, Joshua & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG. (2019) The "Generation Pup" puppy birth cohort: owner-reported canine health problems to age 12 months.
Woodward, Joshua & Casey, Rachel & Lord, M. & Kinsman, Rachel & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG & Da Costa, Rosa & Buckland, Emma & Murray, Jane. (2019) Factors that affect intended adoption of reward-based training reported by a cohort of puppy owners. 10.22233/9781910443699.70.1.
Buckland, Emma & Da Costa, Rosa & Casey, Rachel & Lord, M. & Kinsman, Rachel & Woodward, Joshua & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG & Murray, Jane. (2019) Effect of dog ownership experience on the uptake of preventative health care practices reported by puppy owners. 10.22233/9781910443699.74.7.
Samet, Lauren & Buckland, Emma & Casey, Rachel & Lord, M. & Kinsman, Rachel & Da Costa, Rosa & Woodward, Joshua & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG & Sexton, Rebecca & Murray, Jane. (2019) The Skinny on UK dog diets: early findings from the Generation Pup cohort study.

2018

Murray, Jane & Casey, Rachel & Lord, M. & Kinsman, Rachel & Da Costa, Rosa & Woodward, Joshua & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG. (2018) Puppy acquisition behaviour - preliminary data from the "Generation Pup" birth cohort.

2015

Casey, Rachel & Murray, Jane & Tasker, Severine & Knowles, TG. (2015) Longitudinal birth cohort study investigating risk factors for behaviour and disease in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. 10. 444. 10.1016/j.jveb.2015.07.022.