Current perspectives on attachment and bonding in the dog–human dyad

Abstract

This article reviews recent research concerning dog–human relationships and how attributes that arise from them can be measured. It highlights the influence of human characteristics on dog behavior, and consequently, the dog–human bond. Of particular importance are the influences of human attitudes and personality. These themes have received surprisingly little attention from researchers. Identifying human attributes that contribute to successful dog–human relationships could assist in the development of a behavioral template to ensure dyadic potential is optimized. Additionally, this article reveals how dyadic functionality and working performance may not necessarily be mutually inclusive. Potential underpinnings of various dog–human relationships and how these may influence dogs’ perceptions of their handlers are also discussed. The article considers attachment bonds between humans and dogs, how these may potentially clash with or complement each other, and the effects of different bonds on the dog–human dyad as a whole. We review existing tools designed to measure the dog–human bond and offer potential refinements to improve their accuracy. Positive attitudes and affiliative interactions seem to contribute to the enhanced well-being of both species, as reflected in resultant physiological changes. Thus, promoting positive dog–human relationships would capitalize on these benefits, thereby improving animal welfare. Finally, this article proposes future research directions that may assist in disambiguating what constitutes successful bonding between dogs and the humans in their lives.

Pet dogs and child physical activity: the role of child–dog attachment

“…HAI is thought to be a dyadic relationship (11,12), therefore it is not surprising that the degree of attachment between a child and dog, rather than pet ownership alone, may determine how physically active a child is with a pet dog. Strong attachment to a dog may increase a young child's physical activity by activating a child's intrinsic motivation to move or play indoors or outdoors with the dog, and/or inducing a response to the dog's cues for caretaking (feeding, grooming, walking) (3,7,8).…”

“…The level of attachment to a pet may be one mechanism by which the benefits of human- animal interaction (HAI) are conferred to humans, including children (11,12). The Companion Animal Bonding Scale (CABS; Poresky 1989) (13) measures attachment using behavioral interactions between people and their pets and has good internal reliability, face validity, construct validity and intra-observer reliability for dog and cat owners (13,14,15).…”

Relevance of Visual, Auditory, and Olfactory Cues in Pet Dogs’ Awareness of Humans

“…The time spent "freezing" was longer with no cues, but this may have been because the dogs tried to restrain their own movement and minimise stimulation from the surrounding environment. One review has found that human factors, including personality and attitudes, influence the dog-human relationship [11]. The relationship between the dog and the person in our experiment may also have influenced the time spent in each area.…”

Comparison of veterinary health services expectations and perceptions between oncologic pet owners, non-oncologic pet owners and veterinary staff using the SERVQUAL methodology

“…The increasing strength of the human-animal bond contributes to the fact that many people considered their pets family members [29] making them candidates for experiencing the same needs as people with diseased relatives [30,31]. Meanwhile, the increasing prevalence of cancer in pets followed by the development of new treatment modalities contributes to an increasing caseload of veterinary cancer patients among veterinary care.…”