COVID-19: implications of self-isolation and social distancing for the emotional and behavioural health of dogs

Abstract

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the world, governments are taking unprecedented steps to achieve control and reduction of its affects. Although the potential mental and behavioural health challenges of social isolation for the human population has been widely discussed within the media, less has been said of the concurrent challenges faced by the companion animals that are also experiencing the regulations associated with ‘lock-down’ and ‘self-isolation’. This article considers the immediate consequences for dogs of reduced access to environmental and social stimulation outside the home and increased social exposure within the home, as well as considering some of the potential long-term effects of such measures.