OXFORD has the unhappiest dogs in the country, according to a new survey.

The city scored the lowest for the number of pet shops and also had low numbers of dog groomers and parks.

This means Oxford has the fewest dog-friendly facilities compared with other cities across the country.

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Dog lovers at OnBuy Pet Supplies created an index of six factors that can determine a dog's level of happiness.

These factors include:

  1. The number of parks
  2. The number of pet-friendly accommodation
  3. The number of pet shops
  4. The number of dog groomers
  5. The number of dogs versus the number of cats.

    According to the survey, Oxford contained 24 parks, 45 dog-friendly accommodation sites, zero pet shops in the centre, and only 10 groomers. 

 

The top five cities with the happiest dogs included Swansea, Plymouth, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast. 

Oxford Mail:

Natalia Ashton, the author of Perfect Cocker Spaniel Guide, gave advice on how to keep your pooch happy.

She said: "Choose activities that suit your dog’s age to avoid overstimulation. Have at least one walk a day and allow your pooch to run and exercise depending on his age and physical abilities.

"Visit new places, especially if your dog is an adventurer and enjoys these activities. Let your pooch enjoy a safe chew or a stuffed toy - licking and chewing are really relaxing.

"Learn your dog’s habits - not every dog likes to be touched by strangers, some would rather share their time with people than dogs, others would prefer to avoid certain pooches or places.”

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