10,000 puppies signed up for groundbreaking research by Dogs Trust

Dogs Trust is celebrating reaching a major milestone in canine research after welcoming the 10,000th puppy to join the groundbreaking Generation Pup study. Since 2016, puppy owners have been joining the first project of its kind to help researchers better understand how a dog’s early experiences, genetics, environment and relationships with people influence their health, behaviour and wellbeing. By understanding this, improvements can be made to the lives of dogs now and in the future. May 2026 also marks the 10th anniversary of the very first puppy recruit. 

The 10,000th puppy in question is River, a six-month-old English Springer Spaniel from Halifax. His owner Sarah said, “he has fitted in so perfectly with the family, we sometimes pinch ourselves. We are still learning as River is learning but so far, so good! He is best of friends with our other dog; Lyric and they love snuggling up together when it’s time for a rest. River is curious, brave and loves meeting new people and other animals. 

“For us, we believe that something like Generation Pup could help immensely with the crucial early part in a dog's life and ultimately help break the cycle of dogs ending up in rescues through no fault of their own.” 

Generation Pup, funded and operated by Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, which has 21 rehoming centres in the UK including in Leeds and Manchester, set the goal of recruiting 10,000 puppies 10 years ago to ensure the research findings would be as statistically robust as possible. With their 10,000th puppy now on board, recruitment has closed. Data collection and research, however, continue as Generation Pup enters its second decade.  

By collecting information about puppies such as details about their environment, family, health, behaviour and experiences, the charity can build a picture of a whole generation of dogs across the UK and Republic of Ireland. This means that researchers can investigate whether aspects such as 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 welfare of our dogs. 

Jane Murray, Dogs in Society Deputy Head of Research at Dogs Trust said, “This important research study aims to deepen our understanding of how early life experiences influence the health and behaviour of dogs throughout their lives. I want to extend heartfelt thanks to River’s owners, and all the thousands more who have been instrumental in the success of Generation Pup so far, their dedication has been the foundation of every insight we have discovered, and every impact we have created.” 

For more information please visit www.generationpup.ac.uk