A closer look at new research published in Animals
A recently published scientific study has examined whether using a digital puppy training app may be associated with differences in behavioural problems reported by dog owners.
The research focuses on the Zigzag dog-training app and explores whether engagement with its early training content relates to the severity of common puppy behaviour challenges.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group at the University of Lincoln and published in the peer-reviewed journal Animals.
Reference: Rowland, T.; de Assis, L.; Menteith, C.; Winter, L.; Zulch, H.; Mills, D.S. (2025)
Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems
Animals, 15(4), 520.
👉 This article explains how the research was conducted and what it set out to explore.
👉 You can read the full peer-reviewed paper and summary of key insights separately.
Why researchers study puppy behaviour
Behavioural problems in dogs are widely recognised as an important issue for both animal welfare and owner wellbeing.
Difficult behaviours may contribute to:
- stress for owners
- breakdown of the owner–dog relationship
- relinquishment to shelters
- behavioural euthanasia in severe cases
Because many behaviour challenges emerge during early development, researchers are increasingly interested in how early experiences and owner education may influence long-term behavioural outcomes.
Traditionally, puppy training and behaviour guidance have been delivered through in-person classes, trainers, and veterinary professionals.
However, digital learning tools are becoming more common, raising new research questions about how technology may support puppy owners during this early stage.
What question did the study ask?
The study explored a central question:
Is use of a digital puppy training app associated with differences in the severity of behavioural problems reported by owners?
To investigate this, researchers analysed survey data from puppy owners and examined whether greater engagement with the Zigzag app related to differences in reported behaviour problems.
Importantly, the study was designed to examine associations, not to test whether the app directly caused changes in behaviour.
How the research was conducted
The researchers used an online cross-sectional survey.
Participants were dog owners with puppies aged between three and twenty-four months.
To better isolate the role of the training app, the researchers focused on a subset of participants who either:
- used the Zigzag training app only, or
- reported doing no training at all
Owners who had attended puppy classes, used other training apps, or undertaken formal training were excluded from the analysis.
After filtering the data, the final sample included 367 participants:
- 173 Zigzag app users
- 194 owners who reported no training
How behavioural problems were measured
Owners were asked to rate their puppy’s behaviour across 21 common challenges.
These included behaviours such as:
- chewing
- barking
- aggression
- house soiling
- escaping
- noise sensitivity
- separation-related behaviour
Each behaviour was scored on a four-point scale:
- No problem
- Mild problem
- Moderate problem
- Severe problem
The researchers then used statistical models to examine whether completion of the app’s first four training chapters was associated with the likelihood of reporting more severe problems.
The analysis also accounted for other factors that might influence behaviour, including:
- puppy age
- sex
- health status
- where the puppy was obtained
What the researchers observed
Across the behaviours studied, the overall pattern suggested that greater completion of the Zigzag app was generally associated with lower odds of more severe behavioural problems.
In total:
- 19 out of 21 behavioural outcomes showed associations favouring lower severity with greater app completion
- The remaining two behaviours showed estimates close to no association
- No behaviours showed evidence of increased severity linked to app use
Because the study was observational, these findings represent statistical associations rather than proof of cause and effect.
However, the pattern of results suggests that educational training apps may have potential as tools for supporting early puppy development.
What the study cannot show
The researchers emphasise that the findings should be interpreted carefully.
Several factors may influence the results.
For example, owners who choose to use a training app may differ in important ways from those who do not — for example, they may already be more motivated to learn about training or behaviour.
The study design therefore cannot determine whether the app itself caused the differences observed.
Instead, the research provides initial evidence suggesting that the topic deserves further scientific investigation.
Why this research matters
Scientific research into digital training tools for dogs is still relatively new.
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, researchers are beginning to explore how digital education might support:
- responsible dog ownership
- early behavioural development
- accessible training guidance
Studies like this one help build the evidence base needed to understand whether and how these tools may influence behaviour outcomes.
Read the full research paper
This article summarises the study:
Rowland, T.; de Assis, L.; Menteith, C.; Winter, L.; Zulch, H.; Mills, D.S. (2025)
Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems
Published in Animals, 15, 520.
You can read the full paper here:
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040520
Explore the insights from the research
For a discussion of what the findings may mean for puppy owners, professionals, and the wider dog-care community, you can also read our Data & Insights article, which highlights key takeaways from the study.
