Changes to Adult Dog Social Behaviour during and after COVID-19 Lockdowns in England: A Qualitative Analysis of Owner Perception.

ABSTRACT: Reports suggest that dogs have experienced more quality time with their owners and have exhibited less separation-related behaviour during COVID-19. This study aims to define and explore the changes in the social behaviour of adult dogs, identify any perceived short- and long-term effects and identify the implications that future events may have due to the implementation and withdrawal of COVID-19 restrictions. Owners of dogs aged between 3 and 6 years living in England were recruited for semi-structured interviews about their dogs' social behaviours before, during and after lockdown. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Fifteen owners of eighteen dogs were interviewed in December 2021 to January 2022. All owners interviewed noticed a change in

SUBMITTER: Boardman H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9264766 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature