Puppy Socialisation Experiences in Relation to Age and COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in the UK and ROI.

Limited socialisation can contribute to the development of undesirable dog behaviours. The COVID-19 lockdown potentially limited socialisation opportunities, which may negatively impact the future behaviour of puppies raised during lockdown. Data were gathered from longitudinal study participants in the United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland via multiple questionnaires between May 2016 and November 2022. The impact of age and lockdown phase (pre-, during, and post-) on the types of socialisation experiences of 8-to-19-week-old puppies and the recency of socialisation experiences of approximately 6-month-old puppies were examined. Puppies under 19-weeks had significantly more types of socialisation experiences (from a predefined list) as they aged, and pre-lockdown compared to post-lockdown, but not between other lockdown phases. Most 6-month-old puppies had met a new adult or dog outside the household, a familiar dog, and/or a child within the last 1-7 days, and this was similar between lockdown phases. During lockdown, 6-month-old puppies experienced longer periods between meeting a new adult in their home. Puppies were hypothesised to have had fewer experiences during lockdown, but this was not found. However, the quantity and quality of these experiences may have been affected. Future research within this longitudinal study will explore relationships between the timing and type of experiences had by puppies and their subsequent behaviour.

"It's Like Living with a Sassy Teenager!": A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Owners' Comments about Dogs between the Ages of 12 Weeks and 2 Years.

Owners' understanding of dog behaviour influences dog welfare. This study aimed to investigate owners' experiences of living with dogs and perceptions of dog behaviour/behaviour change. Data from an ongoing UK/ROI longitudinal study of dogs were used. Open-ended survey data (n = 3577 comments, n = 1808 dogs) when dogs were 12/16 weeks (data combined), 6, 12, 18 and 24 months were analysed to cover the dog's puppyhood/adolescence. To evaluate the usefulness of open-ended survey questions, both quantitative textual and qualitative thematic analyses were employed. Textual analysis identified an overall positive sentiment at all timepoints; the proportion of positive: negative sentiments increased with the dog's age. Words related to 'love' were the most frequent descriptors at all but the first timepoint, when 'bite' was the most frequent descriptor. Qualitative analysis helped to identify that owners attribute dog behaviour to 'Dog's biology', 'Personality/deliberate action' and 'External influences'. Analysis of open-ended survey responses helped to identify changes in perception over time. When dogs were young, owners described problematic behaviours as 'mischievous', unintentional and context-specific. Similar behaviours shown by older dogs were seen as 'deliberate'. Both positive and negative experiences of dog ownership were identified. However, as not all respondents answered open-ended questions, the generalisability of our findings is limited.

Introducing a Puppy to Existing Household Cat(s): Mixed Method Analysis.

Although cats and dogs can live amicably, inter-species conflict can result in poor welfare. Species introduction can impact the development of the cat-dog relationship. This study aimed to identify factors associated with owner reported 'only desirable' puppy behaviour (defined as the puppy being uninterested, ignored the cat and/or interacted in a calm way) following introduction to existing household cats, and to explore perceptions of the emerging cat-dog relationship. Owner-reported data collected as part of a longitudinal study of canine health and behaviour were used. Of 4678 puppies, 26.7% lived with at least one cat. Of the 1211 puppies who had been introduced to the household cat at the time of survey completion, playing (58.9%), being overexuberant or over-excited (56.6%), and chasing (48.6%) were the most common behaviours displayed towards cats. 'Only desirable' behaviours were shown by 7.3% of puppies. Multivariable logistic regression showed early (puppies aged <12 weeks), gradual introductions and living in a multi-dog household increased the odds of 'only desirable' behaviours. Qualitative analysis revealed two styles of introductions­owner-led and pet-led. Owners who led introductions anticipated amicable relationships between pets, whilst owners who let pets introduce themselves did not. Early, gradual, owner-led introductions of puppies to household cats should be encouraged.

Impacts of COVID-19 on Owner's Veterinary Healthcare Seeking Behavior for Dogs With Chronic Conditions: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study With a Convenience Sample.

This mixed-method study explored the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on owners' veterinary healthcare seeking, with particular focus on dogs with chronic conditions. A convenience sample of 719 UK dog owners completed an online survey (December 2020-January 2021). Differences in treatment provision and respondents' decisions to seek care across acute, preventative, chronic conditions and for end-of-life care were explored. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with seeking care for any health issue compared to deciding against it, and urgency to seek care given symptom that could indicate chronic conditions. Open-ended questions were analyzed by thematic analysis. Significant (p-value < 0.05) differences in care seeking decisions were identified regarding access to veterinary care and the way treatment was provided across all health issues. The top reasons for not seeking care across all health issues were a lack of access to a veterinarian (30%, n = 56/187) and a reluctance for a dog to go to the clinic unaccompanied (20%, n = 38/187). Variables related to stronger dog-owner relationship, higher confidence in seeking care, perception of: benefits of veterinary care, dog's high susceptibility to illness and high severity of dog's condition, increased the odds of seeking, and urgency to seek, care. A dog's chronic illness diagnosis reduced the odds of seeking care during the pandemic, reportedly due to difficulties in accessing care for non-urgent issues. Qualitative analysis showed that limited access to routine consultations, delays in test results and restricted access to complementary treatments, led some owners of dogs with chronic conditions to believe that their dog's welfare had deteriorated during the pandemic. Pandemic control measures necessitated changes to how consultations were run. These changes were often viewed favorably, but dog-client separation during consultations were considered problematic, sometimes delaying veterinary advice-seeking, including for euthanasia. Separating owners from their dogs during veterinary consultations should be avoided wherever possible due to impacts on dogs, owners and healthcare seeking. Interventions to improve veterinary healthcare seeking could target attitudes toward benefits of seeking care, improve owners' self-efficacy and capitalize on the dog-owner bond. Such interventions should be implemented alongside interventions aimed at removing structural barriers to accessing healthcare.

Accessing veterinary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods analysis of UK and Republic of Ireland dog owners' concerns and experiences.

BACKGROUND: This study explored dog owners' concerns and experiences related to accessing veterinary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data were obtained through two cross-sectional owner-completed surveys conducted in May (first nationwide lockdown) and October 2020 and owner-completed diaries (April-November 2020). Diaries and relevant open-ended survey questions were analysed qualitatively to identify themes. Survey responses concerning veterinary healthcare access were summarised and compared using chi-square tests. RESULTS: During the initial months of the pandemic, veterinary healthcare availability worried 32.4% (n = 1431/4922) of respondents. However, between 23 March and 4 November 2020, 99.5% (n = 1794/1843) of those needing to contact a veterinarian managed to do so. Delays/cancellations of procedures affected 28.0% (n = 82/293) of dogs that owners planned to neuter and 34.2% (n = 460/1346) of dogs that owners intended to vaccinate. Qualitative themes included COVID-19 safety precautions, availability of veterinary healthcare and the veterinarian-client relationship. CONCLUSION: Veterinary healthcare availability concerned many owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to veterinary healthcare for emergencies remained largely available, but prophylactic treatments were delayed for some dogs.

Age of sexual maturity and factors associated with neutering dogs in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Surgical neutering of dogs is common, however the average age that dogs reach sexual maturity, are neutered, and dog owners' attitudes to neutering in the UK and the Republic of Ireland have not been explored in a longitudinal study. METHODS: Owner-reported data on the timing of the first oestrus, timing of neutering and the reasons given for neutering dogs by 12 and 15 months of age were summarised. Factors associated with neutering at 15 months and factors associated with intention to neuter were quantified using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: At 15 months of age, 90.0% (n = 207/230) of unneutered females had had their first oestrus. By 7, 9, 12 and 15 months of age, 22.1% (n = 131/593), 32.2% (197/593), 45.4% (n = 269/593) and 59.9% (n = 352/593) of dogs were neutered, respectively. Breed purity, dog's source, owners' intentions to neuter and the number of dogs in the household were associated with neuter status at age 15 months. Dog's sex, Kennel Club registration, dog's source, dogs intended to be working dogs and previous dog ownership were associated with intentions to neuter. Preventing puppies was the most common reason for neutering. CONCLUSION: Understanding factors that shape owners' intentions to neuter can inform owner-vet discussions regarding whether to neuter a dog and the optimal age for doing so.

"If You Don't See the Dog, What Can You Do?" Using Procedures to Negotiate the Risk of Dog Bites in Occupational Contexts.

Dog bites are a health risk in a number of workplaces such as the delivery, veterinary and dog rescue sectors. This study aimed to explore how workers negotiate the risk of dog bites in daily interactions with dogs and the role of procedures in workplace safety. Participants who encounter dogs at work were recruited using snowball sampling. Ethnographic methods (interviews, focus group discussions, participant-observations) were used for data collection. All data were coded qualitatively into themes. Six themes describing dog bite risk management were identified: 'Surveillance of dogs'; 'Communicating risk; 'Actions taken to manage perceived risk'; 'Reporting bites and near-misses', 'Investigating bites and near-misses', and; 'Learning and teaching safety'. While the procedures described dog bite risk as objective, when interacting with dogs, participants drew on experiential knowledge and subjective judgment of risk. There was a discrepancy between risks that the procedures aimed to guard against and the risk participants were experiencing in the course of work. This often led to disregarding procedures. Paradoxically, procedures generated risks to individual wellbeing and sometimes employment, by contributing to blaming employees for bites. Dog bite prevention could be improved by clarifying definitions of bites, involving at risk staff in procedure development, and avoiding blaming the victim for the incident.

Dog Walking before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: Experiences of UK Dog Owners.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the impacts of the first COVID-19 UK lockdown on dog walking and ownership. METHODS: An online survey was circulated via social media (May-June 2020). Completed responses (n = 584) were analysed using within- and between-group comparisons, and multivariable linear and logistic regression models were created. Open-ended data were coded into key themes. RESULTS: During lockdown, dogs were walked less frequently, yet for a similar duration per week and closer to home. Dogs whose owners lived alone, or whose owners or household members had heightened vulnerability to COVID-19 were walked less than before, as were high-energy dogs. A minority of owners continued dog walking despite exhibiting symptoms or needing to self-isolate, justifying lack of help, dog behavioural problems, living in less populated areas, and the importance of outdoor exercise for their mental health. Dog ownership had multiple benefits (companionship, purpose and motivation; break from bad; positive to focus on) as well as challenges (changes in dog behaviour, balancing dog needs with public health guidance, accessing pet food/supplies and services, and sharing crowded outdoor spaces with others). Most did not have an emergency care plan for their pet before the pandemic and only a handful developed one. CONCLUSIONS: Findings can be used to inform public health and dog welfare strategies for future lockdown situations or other disasters and emergencies likely to impact on daily routines.

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

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.

English hospital episode data analysis (1998-2018) reveal that the rise in dog bite hospital admissions is driven by adult cases.

Dog bites are a global health issue that can lead to severe health outcomes. This study aims to describe the incidence and sociodemographics of patients admitted to English National Health Service (NHS) hospitals for dog bites (1998-2018), and to estimate their annual direct health care costs. An analysis of patient level data utilising hospital episode statistics for NHS England, including: temporal trends in annual incidence of admission, Poisson models of the sociodemographic characteristics of admitted patients, and direct health care cost estimates. The incidence of dog bite admissions rose from 6.34 (95%CI 6.12-6.56) in 1998 to 14.99 (95%CI 14.67-15.31) admissions per 100,000 population in 2018, with large geographic variation. The increase was driven by a tripling of incidence in adults. Males had the highest rates of admission in childhood. Females had two peaks in admission, childhood and 35-64 years old. Two percent (2.05%, 95%CI 0.93-3.17) of emergency department attendances resulted in admission. Direct health care costs increased and peaked in the financial year 2017/2018 (admission costs: £25.1 million, emergency attendance costs: £45.7million). Dog bite related hospital admissions have increased solely in adults. Further work exploring human-dog interactions, stratified by demographic factors, is urgently needed to enable the development of appropriate risk reduction intervention strategies.

'Generation Pup' - protocol for a longitudinal study of dog behaviour and health.

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive research, many questions remain unanswered about common problems that impact dog welfare, particularly where there are multiple contributing factors that can occur months or years before the problem becomes apparent. The Generation Pup study is the first longitudinal study of dogs that recruits pure- and mixed-breed puppies, aiming to investigate the relative influence of environmental and genetic factors on a range of health and behaviour outcomes, (including separation related behaviour, aggression to familiar/unfamiliar people or dogs and obesity). This paper describes the study protocol in detail. METHODS: Prior to commencing recruitment of puppies, the study infrastructure was developed, and subject specialists were consulted to inform data collection methodology. Questionnaire content and timepoint(s) for data collection for outcomes and potential predictors were chosen with the aim of providing the best opportunity of achieving the aims of the study, subject to time and funding constraints. Recruitment of puppies (< 16 weeks, or < 21 weeks of age if entering the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland through quarantine) is underway. By 23 January 2020, 3726 puppies had been registered, with registration continuing until 10,000 puppies are recruited. Data collection encompasses owner-completed questionnaires issued at set timepoints throughout the dog's life, covering aspects such as training, diet, exercise, canine behaviour, preventative health care, clinical signs and veterinary intervention. Owners can elect to submit additional data (health cards completed by veterinary professionals, canine biological samples) and/or provide consent for access to veterinary clinical notes. Incidence and breed associations will be calculated for conditions for which there is currently limited information (e.g. separation related behaviour). Multivariable statistical analysis will be conducted on a range of outcomes that occur throughout different life stages, with the aim of identifying modifiable risk factors that can be used to improve canine health and welfare. DISCUSSION: The Generation Pup project is designed to identify associations between early-life environment, genotypic make-up and outcomes at different life stages. Modifiable risk factors can be used to improve canine health and welfare. Research collaboration with subject specialists is welcomed and already underway within the fields of orthopaedic research, epilepsy, epigenetics and canine impulsivity.

Impact of the First COVID-19 Lockdown on Management of Pet Dogs in the UK.

Initial COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the United Kingdom (23rd March-12th May 2020) prompted lifestyle changes for many people. We explored the impact of this lockdown phase on pet dogs using an online survey completed by 6004 dog owners, who provided information including dog management data for the 7 days prior to survey completion (4th-12th May 2020), and for February 2020 (pre-lockdown). We explored associations between potential predictors and four outcomes relating to changes pre-/during lockdown (reduction in number and duration of walks; increased frequency of play/training, and provision of toys). Most owners (79.5%) reported their dog's routine had changed compared to pre-lockdown. There was a four-fold increase in the proportion not left alone for >5 min on any day during a weekly period (14.6% pre-lockdown, 58.0% during lockdown), with the proportion being left for ≥3 h at a time decreasing from 48.5% to 5.4%. Dogs were walked less often and for less time daily during lockdown, with factors related to the dog, owner, household, and home location associated with changes to walking practices. Many dogs had more play/training sessions and were given toys more frequently during lockdown. Decreased walk duration was associated with increased odds of play/training opportunities and toy provision. These changes to dog management have the potential for immediate and longer-term welfare problems.

Pet dog bites in children: management and prevention.

Dog bite injuries are a significant public health problem and many are sustained by children. These injuries can be complex, both physically and psychologically, and in rare cases fatal. This paper will review current evidence-based approaches to treatment, explore identified patterns in biting incidents and discuss the effectiveness of prevention strategies. Safe management of these patients requires a comprehensive approach. Physical injuries need to be accurately assessed with a high index of suspicion for underlying injuries, particularly in younger children less able to communicate. Treatment depends on severity and location, but all bites must be irrigated to reduce the risk of infection but may not always require prophylactic antibiotic use. Careful exploration of the circumstances in which the bite occurred is essential to make safeguarding decisions and prevent future bites. Reducing the incidence of paediatric dog bites requires education of both children and parents that any dog can bite, regardless of breed, and all child-dog interactions must be highly supervised. However, education alone is unlikely to prevent dog bites. Policies that support environmental changes need to be developed such as provision of pet dogs less likely to bite (or bite as severely), through breeding for temperament and appropriate socialisation. Additionally, investment in psychological support for bite victims and their families is required to reduce the long-term impacts of being bitten.

Sleep Duration and Behaviours: A Descriptive Analysis of a Cohort of Dogs up to 12 Months of Age.

Sleep is a vital behaviour that can reflect an animal's adaptation to the environment and their welfare. However, a better understanding of normal age-specific sleep patterns is crucial. This study aims to provide population norms and descriptions of sleep-related behaviours for 16-week-old puppies and 12-month-old dogs living in domestic environments. Participants recruited to a longitudinal study answered questions relating to their dogs' sleep behaviours in surveys issued to them when their dogs reached 16 weeks (n = 2332) and 12 months of age (n = 1091). For the statistical analysis, subpopulations of dogs with data regarding sleep duration at both timepoints were used. Owners of 16-week-old puppies perceived their dogs to sleep longer during the day and over a 24 h period, but for less time during the night than owners of 12-month-old dogs. At both timepoints, dogs were most commonly settled to sleep by being left in a room/area without human company. However, of dogs that had access to people overnight, 86.7% and 86.8% chose to be around people at 16 weeks and 12 months of age, respectively. The most common sleeping place was in a kennel/crate at 16 weeks (49.1%), and a dog bed at 12 months (31.7%). Future research within this longitudinal study will investigate how sleep duration and behaviours change with age and impact on a dog's health and behaviour.

Online videos indicate human and dog behaviour preceding dog bites and the context in which bites occur.

YouTube videos of dog bites present an unexplored opportunity to observe dog bites directly. We recorded the context of bites, bite severity, victim and dog characteristics for 143 videos and for 56 videos we coded human and dog behaviour before the bite. Perceived bite severity was derived from visual aspects of the bite. Associations between bite severity and victim, dog and context characteristics were analysed using a Bayesian hierarchical regression model. Human and dog behaviour before the bite were summarised with descriptive statistics. No significant differences in bite severity were observed between contexts. Only age of the victim was predictive of bite severity: adults were bitten more severely than infants and infants more severely than children. Non-neutral codes describing dog body posture and some displacement and appeasement behaviours increased approximately 20 seconds before the bite and humans made more tactile contacts with dogs 21 seconds before the bite. This analysis can help to improve understanding of context in which bites occur and improve bite prevention by highlighting observable human and dog behaviours occurring before the bite.

Can Sleep and Resting Behaviours Be Used as Indicators of Welfare in Shelter Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)?

Previous research on humans and animals suggests that the analysis of sleep patterns may reliably inform us about welfare status, but little research of this kind has been carried out for non-human animals in an applied context. This study explored the use of sleep and resting behaviour as indicators of welfare by describing the activity patterns of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) housed in rescue shelters, and comparing their sleep patterns to other behavioural and cognitive measures of welfare. Sleep and activity patterns were observed over five non-consecutive days in a population of 15 dogs. Subsequently, the characteristics of sleep and resting behaviour were described and the impact of activity on patterns of sleep and resting behaviour analysed. Shelter dogs slept for 2.8% of the day, 14.3% less than previously reported and experienced less sleep fragmentation at night (32 sleep bouts). There were no statistically significant relationships between behaviours exhibited during the day and sleep behaviour. A higher proportion of daytime resting behaviour was significantly associated with a positive judgement bias, less repetitive behaviour and increased time spent coded as 'relaxed' across days by shelter staff. These results suggest that, in the context of a busy shelter environment, the ability to rest more during the day could be a sign of improved welfare. Considering the non-linear relationship between sleep and welfare in humans, the relationship between sleep and behavioural indicators of welfare, including judgement bias, in shelter dogs may be more complex than this study could detect.