“More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Data Collection
2.1.1. Survey
2.1.2. Electronic Diary Responses: General Population
2.1.3. Electronic Diary Responses: Generation Pup Cohort
2.2. Data Analysis
2.3. Ethics
3. Results
3.1. Survey Completion
3.2. General Population Electronic Diary Completion
3.3. Generation Pup Electronic Diary Completion
3.4. Qualitative Themes
3.4.1. Spending Time at Home with Dogs
“Life at home would be very lonely without my dogs, and [dog names] are a great comfort as they are such loving dogs. It never feels as if I am living a solitary life.”(Generation Pup respondent, 5th April 2020).
“The dogs have had a huge influence on this time. Given a focus, a reason to get [up] in the morning and have made the whole situation bearable.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“The mental health benefit of owning a dog has [n]ever been so apparent.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“She is helping me with anxiety and depression, which is getting worse in this pandemic.”(Survey respondent, 12th May 2020).
“Distraction of caring for a dog rather than getting stressed/worried about the situation.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“I think living alone [dog name] has helped to keep me sane. I’m really missing contact with family & friends. But it would’ve been so much worse without having [dog name] here. He is a snuggly dog so he is great company.”(General population diary respondent, 12th May 2020).
“I live alone and for me having my dog has made a huge difference. Just having another living being to cuddle and hang out with, massively alleviated a sense of isolation.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“[U]sually I feel guilty leaving them to go to work.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I know a few people who have got puppies meaning well and thinking it is a good time but I think the lack of socialization and being used to people being around all the time might not be the best thing for the dogs longer term and I hope those people have thought it through.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“Nothing has changed. We are still able to go for walks on the beach. Usually see the same very few people/dogs.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I don’t work so I’m with my boy 24/7 so this is no different than any other day for him.”(Survey respondent, 6th May 2020).
“I’m working on the frontline so am going to work as normal but am no longer able to come home at lunch so [dog name] has had to get used to being left all day (about 8 h).”(Generation Pup respondent, 11th April 2020).
“I am very worried about her health as she was due to have an operation on her heart on [date]. It was cancelled the day before as it was not considered urgent, at that point. I am worried that she may suffer further heart damage because of the delay, which is not helping my stress levels.”(Survey respondent, 11th May 2020).
“Seriously anxious about anything happening to my 15 year old [dog]. I have always assumed I would be with her to support her at the end, but I fear that may not now be allowed. I just pray she stays ok until vet practices are back to normal.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“For my dog I worry in case I catch the disease and had to go to hospital. Her welfare is so important to me therefore I worry that she would be looked after properly if I’m not there.”(Survey respondent, 9th May 2020).
3.4.2. Walking Practices
“Taking my dog out for a walk is the highlight of my day at the moment.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“I wouldn’t leave the house at all if I didn’t have to take my dog for a walk.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“Dog walks is one genuine reason to leave the house which the whole family can contribute to.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“My husband who normally misses out on all weekday walks is really enjoying it.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“Local dog park gives an opportunity for socially distant interaction with other owners, helps to feel part of a community.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“The only people I get to speak to are on our daily walk.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“Our walks seem quieter. Less traffic, less people. It’s been nice.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“Able to enjoy longer walks in the morning without the pressure of having to go to work/start for the day.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“Walks are a pleasure rather than before when sometimes on busy days it was a chore.”(Survey respondent, 6th May 2020).
“Also feel bad that walks have reduced from 3 per day to 1 due to restrictions.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I’m also afraid that they would pick any virus in their coats and bring it home, so we aren’t going for walks any longer, just exercising at home.”(Generation Pup respondent, 6th April 2020).
“I am a nurse and have tested positive to COVID virus. I have been very ill for 11 days but luckily able to stay at home as I am improving. [Dog’s name] has noticed I’m ill and even though he loves his walks I haven’t been able to go.”(Generation Pup respondent, 4th April 2020).
“Not feeling comfortable about taking him out for walks due to the Covid 19 situation.”(General population diary respondent, 12th May 2020).
“[My] main concerns are that [dog’s name] isn’t getting enough exercise and socialisation; that [dog’s name] will get overweight (He is already slightly heavier).”(General population diary respondent, 12th May 2020).
“My dog is elderly, has arthritis. She needs little and often walks but I am only supposed to go out once a day with her (till 13th May). She normally has weekly hydrotherapy but can’t do this at the moment. Her legs have noticeably deteriorated during the lockdown.”(Survey respondent, 12th May 2020).
“Look forward to ur [sic] walks together and taking exercise as we explore new places locally to walk—I love to see him really enjoy his walkies.”(Survey respondent, 12th May 2020).
“She can be frustrated on lead and normally likes to play around with other dogs off lead.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“Seldom able to let them off lead for a real gallop.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I keep him on a lead more and haven’t had the chance to go on a ‘proper walkie’ for weeks.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“We are now required to keep her on a lead in all our usual parks, which may set her back in terms of recall.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“Our concern is when he is eventually able to be petted by a stranger or run off lead again or play with other dogs.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“It’s quite stressful even walking her while trying to avoid other people as my husband is vulnerable as he has CKD [chronic kidney disease].”(Generation Pup respondent, 6th April 2020).
“Our local park has been overrun by people who, frankly, have overweight and hellishly unsocial/untrained dogs who I doubt have been exercised more than twice a year. It seems like dog ownership has become the “key to going out” but that people haven’t ever really invested what is needed to have a dog that can be out in public.”(Survey respondent, 11th May 2020).
“I am seeing a lot more dog mess than I have before. It appears as though more owners are taking advantage of walking their dogs (which is good!) but not cleaning up the waste (which is bad).”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“The quieter roads/pavements & the fact people are moving away & keeping their distance when we walk—my younger collie can be reactive—mostly to other dogs, so it’s nice to have more space than normal!”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“One of my dogs is anxious around other dogs and can be reactive on the lead. I have found that there are lots of different dogs about at the moment that I would not normally come across during our daily walks and this has made walks difficult and added to his anxiety.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“All the extra people out around 6pm who are suddenly compelled to take daily exercise are stressing out my middle dog, who is a nervous rescue. She stopped wanting to go for an evening walk for a few weeks, she only wanted to go out in the morning with my parents.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I do feel guilty going on the same walks every day!”(Generation Pup respondent, 3rd April 2020).
“To be honest, taking her for a walk is stressful because of the difficulty of managing social distancing alongside trying to keep her focused on me when we reach the Common (to continue short exposures to it as part of training her to focus on us rather than the environment). It also means that I don’t get a decent walk myself unless we stick to roads and pavements where she is fine and settled.”(Generation Pup respondent, 3rd April 2020).
“Concerned about the lack of social interaction he’s receiving, especially with other dogs. He is very friendly, and is struggling not being able to go and say hello/play.”(Survey respondent, 11th May 2020).
“We are very fortunate in that COVID has had no real impact on our daily routine and our lives. My husband and I are both retired so both at home all the time. We live on a [very large] private estate with just [a small number of] homes, ample places to walk and meet friends with dogs which I still do twice daily.”(Generation Pup respondent, 15th April 2020).
“We’ve also been keeping them entertained with ‘find it’ games using the recycling boxes and tubes etc. This can tire [dog’s name] out totally.”(Generation Pup respondent, 11th April 2020).
“We live on a shared site (…) By profession I am a dog walker so we are normally out walking all day. We have probably only done about 7 walks off site in all that time [since lockdown restrictions were imposed on 23rd March 2020], the rest just playing frisbee games in the garden.”(General population diary respondent, 11th May 2020).
3.4.3. Behaviour and Training
Behaviour Linked to Changes in Daily Care Routine
“My dogs are loving us all being at home.”(General population diary respondent, 6th May 2020).
“Lots [of dogs] have more attention than usual which surely can’t be a bad thing.”(Survey respondent, 8th May 2020).
“She turned in to a Velcro dog at first, following me to the point where I was tripping over her.”(General population diary respondent, 8th May 2020).
“[Dog name] is being very dramatic when we have to leave the house without her, barking, leaping up at us and the door.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“I also worry that his separation anxiety will get worse and dread the day that he is left alone again in the home.”(Survey respondent, 8th May 2020).
“[I am] worried he is so used to having us around 24/7 that it will take time for him to adjust when we have to go back to work and leave him alone for small periods of time.”(Survey respondent, 11th May 2020).
“[W]e are consciously making an effort now to leave him alone so he is not used to company all of the time.”(General population diary respondent, 11th May 2020).
“I am here all day everyday now. We noticed even if we have left him in a room alone while we do something (…) he becomes distressed more quickly than he ever would do before. He will also follow us round the house at all times. I worry for what long-term effects this will have on his happiness—suppose we’ll just have to re-train all the good habits we worked so hard on in the first place!”(Generation Pup respondent, 9th April 2020).
Owners also reported a shift in who was caring for the dog. As well as adults working from home, respondents mentioned children being home-schooled, who were thus spending more time with the dog and, in some cases, helping out with walking. Some owners felt their dog’s behaviour had improved as a result of this increased company from multiple caretakers:“Now [dog name] has not been left on his own since lockdown. We have become too anxious to consider leaving him at home, even for short periods, because it has been so long. We know that we need to re-start crate training and reducing his separation anxiety ready for when we return to working in an office.”(General population diary respondent, 6th May 2020).
“[Dog name] we think has benefitted from us being around in terms of behaviour.”(General population diary respondent, 8th May 2020).
“Our most recent dog, from [name of rescue organisation], is a very nervous dog with a difficult past and having extra human company at home is really helping her begin to gain confidence and start to learn to play. It’s very rewarding.”(Survey respondent, 8th May 2020).
“Since mid-March I have been working from home, and she spends all day sleeping by my make-shift desk. When this first started she would sleep soundly until about 4pm, when she’d start to stir, being properly awake at 4.30 when I would normally arrive home. Now if I’m late having my lunch I get a [dog breed] nose reminding me it’s time for some [dog name]-time.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“[Dog name] would be alone in the house for up to 9 h quite happily whilst I was working. Since lockdown I’m here all the time. He doesn’t understand that when I’m at the dining table on my laptop that I can’t just play with him or snuggle on the sofa. This has led to him sometimes whining or barking at me when I’m on conference calls. He will sometimes paw at my arm to get my hand away from the laptop. So I have had to instigate some training around this area.”(General population diary respondent, 12th May 2020).
“[Dog name] who is fast approaching her first birthday, on [birth date] has gone from a quiet well behaved [dog breed], into a ‘Deva’ [sic], being destructive and demanding attention.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“[Dog name] used to play gently before lockdown—he would get excited but never bite or nip. Since we’ve been home all the time he bites and mouths so much, worse than when he was a little puppy and was testing out his teeth (…) [Dog name] has also developed a new behaviour since lockdown, where he growls and grumbles at my partner when he walks past [dog name] bed. I could understand this if [dog name] had been woken from sleep abruptly, but he is always awake and alert when this happens (…) He is not a grumbly or growly dog usually.”(General population diary respondent, 6th May 2020).
“I have [additional adults] and a [teenager] as well as myself and my husband in the house. The dogs are not always coping well with all the over stimulation with us all here, especially late in the evening. One has started to get a bit snappy with some members of the household and has actually bitten one of my sons. This is really out of character for her so we have been trying to give her much more quiet time with just one of us at a time in our bedroom.”(Survey respondent, 11th May 2020).
“I have noticed that [dog’s name] is a bit down and not as active and motivared [sic] as usual.”(Generation Pup respondent 6th April 2020).
“He still seems bored and frustrated by lack of exercise.”(Generation Pup respondent 4th April 2020).
Behaviour Linked to Reduced Social Interaction
“He is a people dog and loves to interact with them, but he is not able to get close to people and that frustrates him.”(Survey respondent, 5th May 2020).
“[Dog’s name] was only able to go on one walk after having all her vaccines before lockdown hit. Her socialisation has suffered as a result. (…) I hope we do not end up with behavioural problems as a result of the lockdown.”(Generation Pup respondent, 16th April 2020).
“He isn’t seeing visitors of course and as we are still working on his excitement around visitors that will be a challenge.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“One of our dogs is scared of people, not being able to socialize her is not good for her progression.”(Survey respondent, 7th May 2020).
“[H]e has become stressed and reactive around other dogs and people. He does not lunge or bark (he never did) but does pull towards people/dogs with great enthusiasm. We think he is missing interactions with people/dogs.”(General population diary respondent, 6th May 2020).
“We live in a small, quiet village which has now become even quieter. She has often reacted to noises by barking but has definitely become far more reactive since lockdown. She will bark (severely bark) at any noise—and not stop easily.”(General population diary respondent, 5th May 2020).
“My dog is a young puppy, he should be starting to learn socialising skills, meeting new people and dogs too.”(Survey respondent, 10th May 2020).
“We will be using time in the car to let her see people. Come and go and treats to try and de sensitise her to people.”(Generation Pup respondent 16th April 2020).
“We are still walking our other dog each morning for about an hour and I carry [dog’s name] round so she is used to the sounds and experience.”(Generation Pup respondent 3rd April).
Impact on Training
“He is showing anxiety (barking & lunging) towards approaching people. Not other dogs, thank goodness. This started just before lockdown and is not resolving. (…) I so wish I could let him go and say hello to a friendly people and before lockdown he did bark a bit but if allowed to approach he was absolutely fine and friendly. I know what I should be doing but am so frustrated I am not allowed to!”(General population diary respondent, 12th May 2020).
“I’ve had so much more time to focus on his general obedience and training. He’s learned some new tricks and is observing things like boundaries and door manners much more since I’m working on them everyday.”(General population diary respondent, 6th May 2020).
“She is doing lots of scent work and basic training and trick training. We have been working on games too. [Dog’s name] is learning to play treat noughts and crosses.”(Generation Pup respondent, 8th April 2020).
“We are doing some training with the younger dog and it’s really good fun!”(Survey respondent, 6th May 2020).
4. Discussion
4.1. Reported Changes in Dog Behaviour
4.2. Walking Practices and Experiences
4.3. Social Interaction
4.4. Human–Dog Relationships
4.5. Strengths and Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix B.1. General Diary Prompts
- Is [dog name]’s exercise different from normal at the moment? If so, in what way? (e.g., longer/shorter walks, more/fewer walks per day, off-lead time, meeting/playing with other dogs, same/different people walking your dog?);
- Is the amount of time that [dog name] is left alone in the house different to what he/she has been used to?;
- Are there medical staff/key workers in the household that are working longer hours than normal?;
- Are any members of your household spending more time at home than normal? (e.g., due to working from home, furloughing or redundancy?);
- Has [dog name]’s behaviour changed since lockdown was introduced on March 23rd 2020? If so, how?;
- Has [dog name]’s veterinary care been affected due to restricted veterinary care available? If so, how?;
- In what ways is [dog name] influencing your stress levels at this time? (Please think about any ways in which l may be having a positive and/or negative effect).
Appendix B.2. Generation Pup Diary Prompts
- Is [dog name]’s exercise different from normal at the moment? If so, in what way? (Longer/shorter walks, more/fewer walks per day, off-lead/on the lead time, meeting/playing with other dogs?);
- Is the amount of time that [dog name] is left alone in the house different at the moment?;
- Are there medical staff/key workers in the household that are working longer hours/different shift patterns than normal?;
- Has [dog name]’s behaviour changed since social distancing measures were introduced? If so, how?;
- Has [dog name]’s veterinary care been affected due to restricted veterinary care available? If so, how?;
- Is [dog name] a source of stress for you, or giving you stress relief at this time?
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Age Category (Years) | Survey Respondents | General Population Electronic Diary Respondents | Generation Pup Electronic Diary Respondents |
---|---|---|---|
18–24 † | 169 (3.9) | 2 (3.1) | 7 (2.7) |
25–34 | 648 (15.0) | 7 (10.9) | 33 (12.6) |
35–44 | 592 (13.7) | 9 (14.1) | 40 (15.3) |
45–54 | 1046 (24.3) | 15 (23.4) | 66(25.2) |
55–64 | 1088 (25.2) | 20 (31.3) | 77(29.4) |
65–74 * | 632 (14.7) | 8 (12.5) | 39 (14.8) |
75–84 | 127 (2.9) | 3 (4.7) | n/a |
85 years or older | 12 (0.3) | 0 (0.0) | n/a |
Theme | Main Codes | n | % | Examples of Sub-Codes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spending Time at Home with Dogs | Owner Health and Wellbeing | 1621 | 12.8 |
|
Companionship | 1869 | 14.8 |
| |
Concerns Over Other People’s Dogs | 512 | 4.1 |
| |
Concerns for Dog’s Welfare and Medical Care | 857 | 6.8 |
| |
Walking Practices | Enjoyment of Dog Walking | 1356 | 10.7 |
|
Changes in Dog Walking and Exercise Routine | 2180 | 17.3 |
| |
Behaviour and Training | Behaviour Linked to Changes in Daily Care Routine (-,1974, 27.21) | 1725 | 13.7 |
|
Behaviour Linked with Reduced Social Contact | 981 | 7.8 |
| |
Positive Impact on Training | 379 | 3.0 |
| |
Negative Impact on Training | 204 | 1.6 |
| |
No Concerns * | n/a | 940 | 7.4 | |
No Aspects Owner is Enjoying † | n/a | 9 | 0.1 |
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Holland, K.E.; Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C.; Anderson, K.L.; Casey, R.A.; Christley, R.M.; Harris, L.; McMillan, K.M.; Mead, R.; Murray, J.K.; Samet, L.; et al. “More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown. Animals 2021, 11, 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010240
Holland KE, Owczarczak-Garstecka SC, Anderson KL, Casey RA, Christley RM, Harris L, McMillan KM, Mead R, Murray JK, Samet L, et al. “More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown. Animals. 2021; 11(1):240. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010240
Chicago/Turabian StyleHolland, Katrina E., Sara C. Owczarczak-Garstecka, Katharine L. Anderson, Rachel A. Casey, Robert M. Christley, Lauren Harris, Kirsten M. McMillan, Rebecca Mead, Jane K. Murray, Lauren Samet, and et al. 2021. "“More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown" Animals 11, no. 1: 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010240
APA StyleHolland, K. E., Owczarczak-Garstecka, S. C., Anderson, K. L., Casey, R. A., Christley, R. M., Harris, L., McMillan, K. M., Mead, R., Murray, J. K., Samet, L., & Upjohn, M. M. (2021). “More Attention than Usual”: A Thematic Analysis of Dog Ownership Experiences in the UK during the First COVID-19 Lockdown. Animals, 11(1), 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010240