Golden retriever Maddie and her new Generation Pup siblings.
Dogs Trust has recruited its 6,000th puppy for a study into dog welfare.
Canine welfare charity Dogs Trust is celebrating after gaining its 6,000th participant for a groundbreaking study into dog welfare.
The organisation said the latest recruit, a nine-week-old female golden retriever, will help researchers gain pioneering new insights to improve dog welfare for future generations.
Named Maddie, researchers hope the pup will ultimately be part of a pool of 10,000 puppies they will track through to adulthood.
The team behind the Generation Pup study will observe the puppies' early experiences, environment, and how diet and exercise affect their health and behaviour later in life.
Maddie's owner, Jan Kiley, leant about the study through Dog's Trust social media and is calling on other new puppy owners to get involved.
She said: “Working for Dogs for Autism, I wanted a pup with a good temperament who can be an ‘ambassadog’ for the charity. After reading about the Generation Pup study, I was very keen to sign up because I always like talking about my dogs and like to promote people’s understanding of dogs.
“Maddie has settled in really well – it feels as though she has been here forever! She is very fond of her new fur-siblings, nine-year-old Labrador x Golden Retriever, Georgie, six-year-old Dalmatian, Alfie and Cally the cat!
"She is very focused and keen to learn. As with many Goldies, she is a clown and makes me laugh every day!"
Generation Pup research manager, Dr Jane Murray, said: “We are so pleased we have recruited 6,000 pups into the study so far and we are so grateful to all of the owners who give up their time to help with the study.
“Our aim is to reach 10,000 puppy participants, so if you would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. The more puppies we have signed up to the study, the greater potential we have to understand more about our dogs and how to further help them in the future.”
Open to all breeds and crossbreeds, Generation Pup is open to the whole of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. To take part, puppies will need to be registered for the study before they reach 16 weeks old.
Puppies that have gone through quarantine can be registered up to 21 weeks old. More information about the study is available at generationpup.ac.uk
Image (C) Dogs Trust.
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