Dogs may be man's best friend but many dog owners believe that their busy lifestyles are making their pets stressed, according to a new survey.

Direct Line Pet Insurance found that over half of dog owners say their lives are stressful and this has a negative effect on their pets.

Lack of quality time between dogs and their owners is a big factor in the problem with some pets being left alone during the day when the family is out at work or school.

Almost a third show their stress through vomiting, another third through diarrhoea, 12 per cent through loss of weight or appetite, nine per cent through lethargy and ten per cent through loss of fur.

But owners are also suffering with 15 per cent of the 1,000 surveyed saying they were upset at not being able to spend more time with their canine friend. Almost a quarter said their dog was more important to them than their job.

Busy lifestyles can also affect canine health with only around half of dog owners able to walk their pet two or more times a day. Almost a quarter only manage to walk their dog less than once a day.

Chris Price, Business Manager at Direct Line Pet Insurance, said: "Dogs are very sensitive to their owners' moods and pick up on when they are unhappy, unwell or under pressure. Sadly, it seems that this empathy can lead to them suffering from stress themselves and requiring treatment for conditions like diarrhoea, vomiting and loss of fur.

"With the average annual cost of conventional treatment coming in at £350, treating a dog for stress and its symptoms can be expensive. For peace of mind and to avoid large veterinary bills, pet owners should consider taking out insurance."