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The Royal Veterinary College says dogs bought then appear to display high rates of behaviour issues, such as separation anxiety and aggression towards other animals.
Some owners use methods that distress and confuse their dogs, the Royal Veterinary College warns.
Research by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has found dogs bought during the pandemic had alarming rates of separation anxiety and aggression towards other dogs.
Almost all the owners said their dog had at least one problem behaviour, such as issues with control, attention-seeking or aggression. By the time the pets reached 21 months old, owners reported an average of five problem behaviours, while 20% said their pets had eight or more.
Problems such as pulling on lead, clinginess or aggression were most prevalent among the pets studied