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Simple Summary: The COVID-19 lockdown had a greater impact on growing individuals who were not fully accustomed to the relational experiences required for an appropriate socialization process. The purpose of our retrospective research was to investigate, through an online survey, the negative impact of restrictions experienced by puppies upon the adult dogs' personalities. The present study highlights the importance of giving full attention to the relational needs of dogs during their early growth phases. In order to reduce the risk of episodes of aggression and fearfulness as well as to improve the wellbeing of animals raised under lockdown restrictions, we posit that a close monitoring approach should be adopted by veterinary behaviorists who can provide personalized rehabilitating therapies; this may be beneficial for both pets and humans. 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 development of dogs. Therefore, it may be advantageous for these dogs to be closely monitored by veterinary behaviorists and receive specialized behavioral rehabilitation therapy to lower the risk of episodes of aggression and fearfulness as well as to increase the wellbeing of dogs raised under social restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Human–dog relationships are mainly focused on the physical and emotional wellbeing, and has much evolved in the last decades, becoming even more intense over time. Such a novel conception should also be applied to the life that takes place in kennels, which have been mistakenly regarded as a landfill or a burden on society for too many years. Here, we took into consideration an Italian shelter, and analyzed 555 adopted dogs who underwent a well-detailed behavioral training program, to assess the potential impact of the education upon the adoption of attitude. We documented a higher increase in the number of adoptions both for adult and senior animals when compared to the age-matched untrained dogs. Collectively, our data highlight the importance of a proper training, mainly accomplished with reward methods, to get a more suitable and balanced owner-dog attachment. One of the main concerns of the human–dog relationship is today associated with the quality life inside the kennels, which are very often regarded as animal dump where dogs are exiled, representing a burden on society. In the present study we sought to investigate the importance of performing an appropriate behavioral program on the adoption chances within an Italian shelter, near Naples (Ottaviano). In this respect, we enrolled 555 adopted dogs of different ages, who followed a tailored-4-month lasting training program between 2018 and 2020. Once entered there, they were carefully examined by the veterinary behaviorist, and directed towards a suited training program, to improve living conditions. We documented a higher number of both adult and senior dogs who left the kennel and were adopted, compared to the age-matched untrained animals (n = 479), housed in the same kennel from 2015 to 2017. Taken together, the present data highlight an important role for training in improving the natural attitudes of the companion dogs, thus pointing towards a better human–animal bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The SARS-CoV2 pandemic forced an abrupt interruption of social contacts and interpersonal affective relationships all over the world, according to national directives. The SARS-CoV2 pandemic imposed an abrupt termination of social contacts and interpersonal affective relationships around the world for a period whose duration depended on national directives This situation caused considerable inconvenience with important repercussions also on the emotional state of people. The dog-human coevolutionary process has led to the development of common cognitive abilities and a marked sociability. In this study, performed through a national survey, we investigated the influence of the first lockdown in the human-dog relationship and to what extent the owners were able to perceive the discomfort of their dog. How much could the lockdown affect our dogs' emotional states? How do owners rate their dogs' quality of life during restrictions? How much did the affectivity and the perception of one's dog as demanding or expensive before and during the lockdown vary in the human-dog relationship? These and other questions were proposed in the survey. The survey analysis highlighted a stability in the interaction and a decrease in the dogs' costs perceived by the owners, considering the human-dog relationship. Furthermore, the evaluation of symptoms revealed a moderate percentage increase in anxious behavior in the dog, probably due to the change of routine. Overall, the human sample did not seem particularly worried about any discomfort experienced by their dog during quarantine. The SARS-CoV2 pandemic forced an abrupt interruption of social contacts and interpersonal affective relationships all over the world, according to national directives. Many considerable inconveniences occurred with important repercussions also on the emotional state of people and their pets. We carried out a national survey to evaluate the human-dog relationship in a social isolation context using an adapted version of Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale, the perception of the dogs' discomfort by their human owners, and the resilience of the dog through the quantification of symptoms, in time of the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results highlighted that the human-dog interaction was similar during quarantine; however, there was lower owner's perception of a dog's cost during the quarantine than before it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]