Differences in stress and happiness between owners who perceive their dogs as well behaved or poorly behaved when they are left alone

González-Ramírez, Mónica Teresa; Vanegas-Farfano, Minerva; Hernández, René Landero

doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2018.07.010

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The frequency of instinctive behaviors, such as chasing, or of behaviors and characteristics that reflect the dog’s temperament, such as excitability, attention-seeking and energy level, were equivalent between the groups. There were also no differences in separation-related problems, a result that coincides with previous research reporting equivalences in compatibility in activity preferences between groups with and without separation-related problems [29].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Compatibility between Humans and Their Dogs: Benefits for Both

González-Ramírez

2019

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Simple SummaryHuman-animal interaction and its benefits have been a topic of interest in recent decades, but how this interaction can benefit both species remains unclear. In the case of companion animals, the focus of many studies is on human-dog interaction. When they live together, humans and dogs share activities, and when they share an enjoyment of daily activities such as walking and interacting with others, they are considered compatible in their activity preferences. Individuals who are more compatible with their dogs also report having a better relationship with them, which could explain some of the benefits of human-dog interaction. In this study, ninety people with low compatibility in activity preferences were compared to 110 people who were compatible with their dogs. The findings show that the people who were more compatible with their dogs reported higher happiness levels and lower stress scores, a stable dog-feeding routine, and more frequent daily walks and playing sessions, in addition to a lower frequency of aggressive and fearful behaviors and higher trainability scores in their dogs. In conclusion, compatibility in activity preferences helps explain the benefits of the human-animal interaction.AbstractCompatibility in activity preferences refers to the shared enjoyment of daily activities, such as walking and interacting with others, and it is an indicator of the behavioral dimension of compatibility, which mainly refers to exercise and play. It has been found that individuals who are more compatible with their dogs have a better relationship with them, which can explain some of the benefits of human-dog interaction. However, research to explain how and why human-animal relationships are potentially therapeutic is still needed. The objective of this quantitative study was to compare the benefits of human-dog interaction for both humans and dogs between people who were and were not compatible with their dogs. Ninety people with scores of 50% or less on the compatibility index and 110 people with 100% compatibility participated in the study. The groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The people in the group with greater compatibility reported more subjective happiness and less perceived stress, a stable dog-feeding routine, and more frequent daily walks and playing sessions; additionally, for their dogs, they reported a lower frequency of aggressive and fearful behaviors and higher trainability scores. In conclusion, compatibility in activity preferences helps explain the benefits of human–animal interaction.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Compatibility between Humans and Their Dogs: Benefits for Both

González-Ramírez

2019

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The TIPI is a 10-item questionnaire that assesses human personality based on the "Big Five" personality framework (36). The "Big Five" includes the most basic dimensions of personality: extraversion (e.g., outgoing, enthusiastic), agreeableness (e.g., appreciative, considerate), conscientiousness (responsible, reliable), neuroticism or emotional stability (e.g., anxious, unstable), and openness to experiences (e.g., curious, imaginative) (37). The TIPI includes a list of 10 pairs of personality traits.…”

Section: Ten-item Personality Inventory (Tipi)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Owner Personality, Owner-Dog Attachment, and Canine Demographics Influence Treatment Outcomes in Canine Behavioral Medicine Cases

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human and canine parameters can affect the development of canine behavior problems, although their influence on the dog's response to veterinary behavioral treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the possible associations between canine behavior following clinical intervention and canine demographic characteristics, owner personality and owner-dog attachment. The study included 131 dog-owner dyads who attended a veterinary behavioral service. Owners completed the C-BARQ at baseline, 3-months and 6-months, and the 10 Item Personality Inventory and Lexington Attachment to Pet Scale at baseline. Data were analyzed for the effect of clinical intervention on C-BARQ subscale scores using mixed effect models. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between behavior change and canine and owner parameters. Within 6-months of veterinary consultation, trainability increased (coefficient 0.03, p = 0.01) and chasing (coefficient −0.04, p = 0.02), separation-related behavior (coefficient −0.04, p = 0.01) and energy level (coefficient −0.04, p = 0.05) decreased. Treatment outcomes were associated with both canine and owner variables. Canine behavior at baseline was the most consistent predictor of behavior change with less desirable baseline behavior associated with greater odds of decreased problem behavior at three- and 6-months post-consultation across most C-BARQ subscales. Canine age and weight; owner conscientiousness, extraversion and openness; and owner-dog attachment were also associated with treatment outcomes for some behavioral categories. These findings could be used by veterinarians to formulate more accurate prognoses and provide owners with targeted advice to reduce the influence of background factors on the dog's response to clinical behavioral intervention.

show abstract

“…It is thus not surprising that there is growing evidence of a lack of consistent effect 127 . By considering specific aspects of dog ownership as revealed in this study (e.g., dog's health; level of shared interactions with the dog; dog unwanted behaviours; level of involvement in the care of the dog) and acknowledging both the positive and negative impact dog ownership has on well-being 42 , 108 , 128 , researchers can test more specific hypotheses. In this way it is to be hoped we can build a more accurate picture of the typical aspects of ownership which may be beneficial to human well-being and thus elucidate the true diversity of underlying mechanisms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the impact of dog ownership on autistic adults: implications for mental health and suicide prevention

Barcelos

Kargas

Packham

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mental health problems and suicide are more frequent in autistic adults than general population. Dog ownership can improve human well-being. This study aimed to generate a framework of well-being outcomes for dog-related activities in autistic adults and compare it to the framework generated for a general adult population. Thirty-six autistic dog owners (18–74 years old, 18 males) from diverse UK regions were interviewed and transcripts thematically analysed. 16.7% reported that their dogs prevented them from taking their own lives, mainly due to the dog's affection and the need to care for the animal. Close dog-owner interactions (e.g., cuddling, walking, dog's presence) were the most frequent activities improving emotions/moods and life functioning, whereas routine-like activities (e.g., feeding the animal) particularly enhanced life functioning. Well-being worsening was mainly linked to dog behaviour problems, dog poor health/death and obligations to the dog. Despite some negatives associated with ownership, having a dog could improve the well-being of many autistic adults and assist suicide prevention strategies in this high-risk group. The framework was consistent with that generated previously, indicating its robustness and the potential opportunity to focus on dog-related activities rather than the vague concept of “ownership” when considering the impact of ownership on well-being.

show abstract

Differences in stress and happiness between owners who perceive their dogs as well behaved or poorly behaved when they are left alone

Cited by 16 publications

References 22 publications

Compatibility between Humans and Their Dogs: Benefits for Both

Compatibility between Humans and Their Dogs: Benefits for Both

Owner Personality, Owner-Dog Attachment, and Canine Demographics Influence Treatment Outcomes in Canine Behavioral Medicine Cases

Understanding the impact of dog ownership on autistic adults: implications for mental health and suicide prevention

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About