Changes in Dog Behaviour Associated with the COVID-19 Lockdown, Pre-Existing Separation-Related Problems and Alterations in Owner Behaviour
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Published:2023-03-04
Issue:3
Volume:10
Page:195
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ISSN:2306-7381
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Container-title:Veterinary Sciences
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Veterinary Sciences
Author:
Sherwell Emila-Grace1, Panteli Eirini1, Krulik Tracy2, Dilley Alexandra2, Root-Gutteridge Holly1ORCID, Mills Daniel S.1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK 2. Department of Behavior & Training, Humane Rescue Alliance, Washington, DC 20011, USA
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns provided an opportunity to assess what factors, including changes in an owner’s routine and time spent at home, were associated with changes in dog behaviour. We undertook a longitudinal survey over a period of 8 months during which we asked about people’s work patterns, dog management, and their dogs’ behaviour. Generalized linear models revealed that the pre-existence of signs of potential separation-related problems, and especially vocalisation, self-injury, and chewing to escape confinement, was associated with an increase in a range of separation issues. Dogs showing separation-related signs prior to COVID were also more likely to develop more problems during lockdown. Management changes tended to result in increased physical and social stress, with a range of potential compensatory actions taken by the dog, however these signs of stress did not generally appear to be connected to separation-related issues. Survival analysis was used to investigate the emergence of specific issues over time. This indicated that a change to working from home was related initially to a decreased risk of aggression towards the owner, but over time, those who continued to work from the home were at an increased risk of this problem. No other significant time-related relationships were found.
Subject
General Veterinary
Reference51 articles.
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