“More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

On 23 March 2020, the UK Government imposed a nationwide lockdown as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This study aimed to explore how the experience of dog ownership in the UK was impacted during this lockdown. Data for this research came from open-ended survey questions and an electronic diary completed by members of the general public and participants involved in “Generation Pup”, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of dogs. A total of 10,510 free-text entries were analysed. Three major themes emerged: spending time at home with dog(s), walking practices, and behaviour and training. Owners valued having more time than usual with their dog(s) but also recognised that spending extra time with their dog(s) may negatively impact on the dog’s future ability to cope when left alone. However, very few owners provided alone time for their dog(s) during the lockdown. The opportunity to walk their dog(s) as part of their permitted daily exercise was regarded positively, but walks under the lockdown guidelines were not always felt to be adequate with respect to providing sufficient exercise and opportunities for interaction with other dogs. Owners reported observing new undesirable behaviours in their dog(s) during the lockdown, including barking and dogs being “clingy” or vocalising when briefly left alone. Based on these findings, we suggest intervention strategies to best support dog welfare that include helping dog owners to teach dogs to cope with being alone, even if owners do not need to leave their dogs alone.

Equine Management in UK Livery Yards during the COVID-19 Pandemic—“As Long As the Horses Are Happy, We Can Work Out the Rest Later”

“…Nevertheless, the horse–human relationship was considered in this study to be very important to the mental health of the owner. Studies of canine–human relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted how the benefits of the human–animal relationship and its daily routines to owner mental health were more apparent during the pandemic than ever before [ 28 , 29 ]. Unlike horse–human relationships, in the pandemic most people reported spending more time than usual with their dogs, and therefore feeling closer to them, as well as the relationship helping to mitigate pandemic-associated stress [ 28 ].…”

“…Studies of canine–human relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted how the benefits of the human–animal relationship and its daily routines to owner mental health were more apparent during the pandemic than ever before [ 28 , 29 ]. Unlike horse–human relationships, in the pandemic most people reported spending more time than usual with their dogs, and therefore feeling closer to them, as well as the relationship helping to mitigate pandemic-associated stress [ 28 ]. The impact of horse owning on mental health has received far less study than dog owning, but the results of this study suggest that horse–human relationships may be similarly important to the human side of the pairing.…”

The Perceived Impact of The First UK COVID-19 Lockdown on Companion Animal Welfare and Behaviour: A Mixed-Method Study of Associations with Owner Mental Health

“…Furthermore, existing behavioural problems may be exacerbated or become more noticeable. Previous research has indicated that the behaviour modification plans of dog owners with pre-existing behavioural problems (e.g., anxiety, fearfulness or lack of socialisation) was disrupted by the pandemic [ 15 ]. There has also been restricted access to animal-related services (e.g., veterinary assistance, behavioural consultations, training classes, restricted access outdoors), which may impact on the development of behavioural problems [ 9 , 15 ].…”

Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Spark a Public Interest in Pet Adoption?

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a considerable impact on animals for food production and for companions ( 27 – 34 ). Our study revealed that the web interest on adoption of cats and dogs increased during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic ( 35 ) and appeared to be sustainable for that of cats but not dogs. The affection between human and companion animals is well-recognized as an effective way to minimize stress during an uncertain period and help alleviating depression and anxiety upon social isolation ( 7 , 26 , 36 ).…”