Research conducted by a prominent pet insurance firm has suggested that our friend the dog is at the centre of household arguments at a rate of nearly 3 per day.

The figures which emerged in a study of 2,000 dog owners claims that a ‘man’s best friend’ can also be the cause of heated household debate. They trigger 156 quarrels every year with the spats ranging from disagreeing about who should take the dog for a walk, feed them, give them treats they deserve and who should look after the dog when the owners go on holiday.

The study shows that a quarter of dog owners (26 per cent) regularly argue about where the dog should be allowed to go in the house – in particular whether they should be able to lie on the beds, go upstairs or jump up on the sofa.

A fifth of families (20 per cent) frequently argue about whose turn it is to clean up the mess in the back garden, while one in 10 disagree about who should clear up the carpets should they be soiled.

But disciplining the dog is one of the biggest causes of arguments – as 18 per cent of couples often fall out because one is accused of being too harsh on the dog.

The research also showed that a further 15 per cent of families often row about who should be training the dog, while one in 10 people get annoyed if the dog is ‘humanised’. Other arguments about the pooch include who chose to buy it in the first place and how much has been spent on it.

They’re also likely to cause unrest if they damage the children’s toys or chew the family’s shoe collection.

The study shows that while the majority of family arguments are more likely to be about the children than the family pet, 14 per cent of owners reckon they row about the dog more than their children.

Incredibly, in 17 per cent of households the dog disputes have got so bad that one member of the family has slept in the spare room, while a quarter of those polled have been known to storm off after things got too heated.

In fact, a quarter of dog owners (26 per cent) have at some point considered getting rid of their beloved pooch after a particularly bad barney.

Top 10 Arguments Caused by Dogs

1. What to do with the dog when going away on holiday / for the weekend
2. The fact the dog hasn’t been walked / who should walk it
3. Whether the dog should be allowed on the beds
4. Whether the dog should be allowed upstairs
5. Who should clean up the mess in the back garden
6. One of the owners is being too harsh on the dog
7. One of the owners lets the dog onto the sofa
8. How much one of the owners has spent on the dog
9. Training the dog
10. Allowing the dog to be fed from the dining table

So, ever had a dog related argument?