Giving up a dog is one of the most emotionally charged topics in pet ownership. It’s often reduced to simple narratives like “they didn’t try hard enough” or “they shouldn’t have gotten a dog in the first place”. But the reality is usually far more complex.
Most people who rehome or surrender a dog didn’t plan to. They loved their dog. They tried. And then life, circumstances, or reality shifted in ways they didn’t expect. Understanding the most common reasons dogs are given up isn’t about blame. It’s about honesty, better preparation, and supporting people before things reach breaking point. Below are the reasons that come up again and again.
Behavioural issues that feel unmanageable
By far the most common reason dogs are surrendered is behaviour. Not because the dog is “bad”, but because the behaviour feels bigger than the owner’s ability to cope.
This often includes severe separation anxiety, reactivity towards dogs or people, aggression driven by fear or lack of socialisation, destructive behaviour linked to stress or boredom, and ongoing toilet training issues.
Many owners don’t realise how intense or persistent some behaviour challenges can be, especially without professional help. Training takes time, consistency, money, and emotional energy. When progress feels slow or non-existent, people can lose hope.
Behavioural issues are one of the biggest gaps between expectation and reality in dog ownership.
Lifestyle changes people didn’t anticipate
Dogs are a long-term commitment, but human lives change.
New jobs with longer hours, returning to the office after working from home, relationship breakdowns, moving cities or countries, and health changes including mental health can all make dog ownership harder than expected.
A dog that fit perfectly into someone’s life at one point may become extremely difficult to manage after a major shift. It doesn’t mean the person stopped caring. It means their capacity changed.
Lack of time and emotional bandwidth
Many people underestimate how much time a dog actually needs, especially young, high-energy, or working breeds. Between walks, training, enrichment, grooming, cleaning, and supervision, dogs require daily input. When owners are exhausted, burnt out, or juggling caregiving, work, and financial stress, the dog can start to feel like one responsibility too many. This is particularly common in the first year, when routines are still forming and the dog hasn’t fully settled.
Financial pressure
Owning a dog is expensive, and costs can escalate quickly. Beyond food and basic vet care, unexpected expenses like emergency vet visits, ongoing medication, behaviourists or trainers, special diets, and boarding or pet sitters can push people past what they can realistically afford. Financial strain is one of the least talked about reasons dogs are surrendered, but it’s a significant one.
Housing issues and rental restrictions
In many places, finding pet-friendly housing is incredibly difficult. Dogs are often surrendered because landlords won’t allow pets, properties have size or breed restrictions, people are forced to move unexpectedly, or temporary housing doesn’t allow animals. Often, owners are faced with an impossible choice rather than a careless one.
Mismatch between dog and owner
Sometimes the issue isn’t effort or love, it’s compatibility. A high-energy dog with a low-energy household, a noise-sensitive owner with a vocal breed, a first-time owner with a dog that needs experienced handling, or families underestimating the needs of large or powerful breeds can all create long-term stress. Many people choose dogs based on looks, assumptions, or idealised versions of their future lifestyle. When reality doesn’t match, the gap can be hard to bridge.
Unrealistic expectations of what dog ownership would feel like
A surprising number of people give up dogs because of how it feels emotionally. Some experience anxiety or regret after bringing the dog home, loss of independence and freedom, guilt for not enjoying it “enough”, or feeling trapped or constantly overwhelmed. These feelings are rarely talked about openly, but they’re common. Without support or reassurance that this phase can pass, some owners assume they’ve made a permanent mistake.
Health issues (human or dog)
Chronic illness, injury, disability, or mental health challenges can dramatically change someone’s ability to care for a dog. Likewise, dogs with ongoing medical or behavioural needs may require a level of care the owner simply cannot sustain long-term. These situations are heartbreaking and rarely involve a lack of love.
What this means for future dog owners
Most dogs are not given up because people don’t care. They’re given up because people didn’t fully understand the scope of what they were committing to, or didn’t have enough support when things became hard. Being honest about these realities helps people make better decisions before getting a dog, reduces shame around asking for help early, and prevents dogs from being surrendered later. Preparation, realistic expectations, and accessible support matter just as much as love.
Prevention is kinder than judgement
If we want fewer dogs to lose their homes, we need fewer sugar-coated stories about dog ownership and more honest conversations. Choosing a dog should come with space to ask hard questions, admit limitations, and say “maybe not yet” without shame.