While many families found comfort and companionship in their lockdown puppies, new research shows that the joy often came with safety risks, added stress, and uneven benefits across children and caregivers.
Study: More than just one man and his dog: The many impacts of puppy acquisition on the mental health of families including children in the UK. Image credit: Nina Buday/Shutterstock.com
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple families got puppies, mainly to help them with their mental health. A recent study in PLOS ONE examines how children and dogs interact in these families, using a three-phase online survey.
Introduction
About 1.6 million UK homes have one or more dogs. Dogs are part of the family in these homes, and multiple family members consider themselves the dog’s owner. This contrasts with the common misconception that one person, usually an adult, owns the dog.
A prior study showed that 38% of people in the UK who currently own a dog acquired it during the pandemic, resulting in “pandemic puppies.” The pandemic years were marked by lockdowns, periods of severely restricted physical social interactions, and widespread fear of severe illness and death. Rising rates of mental ill-health, coupled with the belief that having a dog in the household would help counter emotional negativity, led to the pandemic puppy trend.
Very little is known about the benefits of pet ownership for children or adults, which has prompted this current study. The researchers conducted an online survey in three parts. They compared households that got a dog in 2019 with those that got a dog during 2020-21. Since few people responded in the 2019 group, statistical comparisons were underpowered, and the qualitative analysis pooled both groups rather than treating them separately.
Study findings
The responses came from 382 caregivers and 216 children. In most cases, dog care appeared to be women’s work, with half the women being 45-54 years old. For just under half, this was their first dog. Two-thirds said they researched their decision before acquiring a puppy.
More than half the families got a dog to boost their spirits and bring joy back into the house. Over half the children in the study were female, with a median age of 13. Slightly less than a quarter of caregivers had children with a mental health diagnosis, with 82% of these blaming the pandemic, in part.
Demanding task
A third of caregivers found living with a puppy more challenging than expected, especially when it was their first dog. The greatest challenge was ensuring everyone remained safe around the dog, especially the children.
Other challenges included always looking after the dog, especially when other family members were less involved. Some mothers felt their children were less involved in dog walking and feeding, though others noted more involvement than anticipated. First-time dog owners were more likely to find their children less involved in care than expected.
Safety first
Many caregivers reported stress involved in ensuring safe dog-child interactions. Concerningly, over half of the children were permitted to engage in multiple activities known to increase bite risk (17/25 listed interactions). About half the children had eight risky interactions with the family pet. For instance, children not only patted their dogs but hugged and kissed them in 90% or more families. Over a third of families allowed children to play with the dog during its mealtimes, a known risk for biting behavior. Obvious misbehavior, like pulling the dog’s ears or tail, was allowed in <7% of families.
Emotional boost
Both children and adults found that having a dog had multiple positive aspects, especially the close physical interactions between children and the dog. The impact of having a dog was different for different people in the same family. Its presence could change the operation and mood of the whole family.
In almost all families, at least one member has benefited from the dog's positive effects as a playmate, confidant, friend, comforter, and safeguard. Children particularly “owned” the dog.
The lockdown was associated with very bad memories, which many caregivers and children recalled being eased by the presence of a dog. Not only did the children enjoy cuddling, hugging, or sharing a bed with their dogs as an expression of their affection, but this also provided an emotional boost when they were sad, lonely, or anxious.
The family was often bonded by caring for a dog, keeping it physically engaged, and by the companionship and humor the dog brought into their lives. Dog walking also separated the children from virtual interactions and brought them out of their bedrooms to engage with the family.
Conversely, children sometimes resent taking care of the family pet, are jealous when the dog appears to prefer others or receives more attention, and dislike the dog’s asking for attention when they are otherwise engaged. The caregivers are often unaware that their children do not like these behaviors or do not appreciate having to give up much of their free time to look after the dog.
Recognizing signs of aversion, distress, fear, or aggression in a dog is vital for dog owners. It should be taught wherever possible, even via literature or other media, if not physically.
Conclusions
“These findings underscore the importance of involving all household members in human-dog research and highlight the unpredictability of whether acquisition motivations will align with outcomes.” “Pandemic puppies” did not always improve the mental health of the children in the families that owned them, and this should not be the reason for getting a puppy.
Children often love having a dog as a companion and playmate, but they should be trained to avoid behaviors that increase dog bite risk. Families need access to resources to help them safely settle in the new puppy, especially considering the additional caregiver mental burden placed on the woman who typically undertakes dog care and maintains safe dog-child boundaries, in addition to her other responsibilities in the home.
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