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 developm

SUBMITTER: Sacchettino L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10059587 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature