Puppies Raised during the COVID-19 Lockdown Showed Fearful and Aggressive Behaviors in Adulthood: An Italian Survey

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister’s decree issued by the Italian government on 9 March 2020, known as “#Iorestoacasa” (I stay at home), required everyone to stay indoors, with a few exceptions, from 11 March to 3 May 2020. This decree had a substantial impact on the mental health of both people and dogs. We carried out a national survey to compare the personalities of adult dogs who were puppies in lockdown (from March to May 2020) with those of adult dogs born after that time (from June 2020 to February 2021). Our results highlighted a significant increase in personality traits related to fear and aggression in dogs who experienced lockdown restrictions during their socialization period, further confirming that the COVID-19 pandemic strongly impacted the behavioral development of dogs. Therefore, it may be advantageous for these dogs to be closely monitored by veterinary behaviorists and receive specialized behavioral rehabilitation therapy to lower the risk of episodes of aggression and fearfulness as well as to increase the wellbeing of dogs raised under social restrictions.

Description of Twenty-Nine Animal Hoarding Cases in Italy: The Impact on Animal Welfare

“…In addition, they showed skin lesions caused by aggressions from other subjects (due to overcrowding, extremely poor social distancing and failure to satisfy basic ethological needs), contact with rigid surfaces (at bony prominence level) and compulsive licking, which is considered a coping strategy [ 35 , 36 ]. The hoarded animals showed a dysfunctional behavioral profile related to social fear as well as inter- and intra-aggression caused by a lack of necessary stimulation and improper socialization, which thus turns into a relevant increase in behavioral disorders, such as abnormal repetitive behaviors, excessive interspecies aggression, fear and anxiety [ 37 , 38 ]. Similar to humans, mistreated animals display anxiety, learned helplessness and hostility that severely compromise animal clinical and behavioral welfare [ 20 ].…”

Ethical Concerns about Fashionable Dog Breeding

“…Studies have also indicated that they may display behavioural deficiencies and molecular alterations similar to those observed in individuals with schizophrenia [ 233 ]. Later, as puppies, social isolation may cause lifelong disturbances and compromised learning abilities [ 234 , 235 , 236 ].…”

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pet behavior and human-animal interaction: a longitudinal survey-based study in the United States

“…With the implementation of lockdown measures, many puppy socialization classes and training schools shifted to online platforms, limiting opportunities for interaction with strangers and neighbor’s pets ( 16 ). A study by Sacchettino et al ( 17 ) found that dogs that underwent their socialization period during the lockdown experienced a significant increase in fear and aggression later in life. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the possibility of pets experiencing new or recurrent behavior problems when their owners transitioned from working at home to returning to the workplace ( 14 ).…”