Bad dogs tend to die young. That's according to a British study that says aggression, excessive barking and disobedience are among behaviours that can doom canine pets to an early demise.
One in three deaths among U.K. dogs younger than 3 years old was from "undesirable" behaviours. Euthanasia was the most common cause of those deaths -- 75 per cent overall. Traffic accidents involving disobedient dogs were another common cause.
The Royal Veterinary College study involved data on 264,000 U.K. dogs. The researchers say it underscores the importance of training for dogs and educating their owners.
The study appears Tuesday in the British publication Animal Welfare.
