A Longitudinal Study of Decision Making in the Process of Acquiring a Dog

Abstract

To prevent potential problems in the relationship between people and their dogs, it is important to engage in a thoughtful decision-making process with regard to acquiring a dog. To map the most important elements in the decision-making process, a social cognitive model was applied using seven psychological constructs: perceived advantages of having a dog; perceived disadvantages; the social norm; self-efficacy; optimism; expected commitment; and the intention to acquire a dog. People who were planning to acquire a dog within one year were asked to fill in an online questionnaire and another one 14 months later. The social cognitive constructs were operationalized in the baseline questionnaire, and in the follow-up participants were asked to report whether they had actually acquired a dog during the 14-month interval. The sample (n = 588) largely consisted of females (88%) and those who had a high level of education (64%). The mean age of the participants was 40.9 years. The data showed significant relations among the decisionmaking variables, and significant differences between demographic variables related to these. In univariate longitudinal analyses, several social cognitive variables significantly predicted acquiring a dog in the 14-month period. When intention to acquire a dog was entered into the multivariate model, it remained the only predictor (OR = 2.16, p < 0.001); the model explained 33% of the variance in acquiring a dog. It was possible to assess the main constructs that play a role in decision making regarding acquiring a dog: Most baseline measures were related to actual later behavior, also when taking into account all changes in other internal and external factors that may have taken place. Insight into the decision-making process makes it possible to intervene in it for the good of people, dogs, and their relationships.

Demographic and contextual factors as moderators of the relationship between pet ownership and health

“…This study only assessed the experiences of adults, although past research in the UK has shown sociodemographic differences in pet ownership in children and adolescents (Miles et al, 2017;Westgarth et al, 2010). Finally, we only assessed current pet ownership and were not able to explore duration of pet relationships, history of pet ownership, or timing and reasons for acquisition of a pet, which can also be related to demographic variables (Vink, Dijkstra, & Epstude, 2019). These relationships should be explored with robust qualitative and mixed methods research.…”

Expectations Versus Reality: Long-Term Research on the Dog–Owner Relationship

“…To understand the psychology of this relationship's development, the owner's perceptions (e.g., advantages and disadvantages) needs to be understood since these perceptions influence owners' feelings and behaviors towards their dogs. Perceptions are based on experience, learning from others, and comparing oneself to others, and can be conceptualized as social cognitive determinants [19][20][21].…”

Social-Cognitive Processes Before Dog Acquisition Associated with Future Relationship Satisfaction of Dog Owners and Canine Behavior Problems

“…The social-cognitive factors involved in decision-making are described in the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991). In a previous study (Vink, Dijkstra, & Epstude, 2019), we demonstrate that certain aspects of the decision-making process at time zero (T0) are related to the actual acquisition of a dog (T1; yes/no). In the present study, we examine how aspects of the decision-making process at T0 are related to canine behavior problems and owner satisfaction, as measured in two follow-up questionnaires, six (T1) and 18 months (T2) after acquiring a dog.…”