Dog ownership satisfaction determinants in the owner-dog relationship and the dog's behaviour

Herwijnen, Ineke R. van; Borg, J.A.M. van der; Naguib, Marc; Beerda, B.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204592

Cited by 50 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…For the translation step, a Dutch native speaker, who was also fluent in English at an academic level and who had worked with the original MDORS, translated the original English questionnaire to Dutch (version T1). They additionally compared their translation to a separate MDORS translation, which had been used in a previous study (version T2) [29]. A Dutch language expert subsequently checked the translations for grammar and spelling mistakes, or strange formulations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Translation and Validation of the Dutch Monash Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS)

Houtert

Endenburg

Wijnker

et al. 2019

Animals

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The Monash Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) is a questionnaire that is used to evaluate the perceived relationship between humans and their dog. This questionnaire was originally only formulated and validated in English, which limits its use among non-English speaking individuals. Although a translation could be made, the translation of questionnaires without additional validation often impairs the reliability of that questionnaire. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate a translation of the MDORS that is suitable for use among native Dutch speakers. To achieve this, a Dutch translation of the MDORS was made and checked for spelling/grammar mistakes, readability, feasibility, and clarity. A test–retest comparison was subsequently performed on the translation together with a calculation of Cronbach’s alpha score and principal component analysis (PCA). Through the PCA, we found that the three-factor model of the original MDORS was also largely present in the Dutch translation. However, deviations were also found, as several questions did not achieve high PCA scores in their original factor. Therefore, we propose that these questions are excluded from the Dutch MDORS.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Translation and Validation of the Dutch Monash Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS)

Houtert

Endenburg

Wijnker

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…In preliminary work by the authors, we found an association between impact on owner lifestyle, as measured with MDORS, and problem behaviour, using C-BARQ; dog directed aggression, separation problems, and training issues (miscellaneous problems) were all associated with a negative impact on owner lifestyle (perceived costs). This work has been followed up by Herwijnen et al who found similar relationships between aggression and disobedience, and perceived costs and satisfaction with ownership [57]. However, those authors did not examine the relationship between MDORS and a wide range of other behaviour problems.…”

Section: The Family's Quality Of Lifementioning

confidence: 98%

Making the Case for Multi-Axis Assessment of Behavioural Problems

Fatjó

Bowen

2020

Animals

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The systematic classification of human mental health disorders and behavioural problems in companion animals face the same challenges. These disorders and problems are complex, multi-factorial, and can interfere with the individual’s ability to function within society, a social or family environment. Classification systems are reductive, they discard a lot of critical information, and can be overly focused on the presenting problem, inflexible and obstructive to new research. As a result, human psychiatry is moving away from classification systems and toward a clinical and research model based on dimensional characteristics that encompass the full range from normal to abnormal, and include multiple sources of influence from genetic, to environmental and psychosocial. In this paper, we set out a multi-axis model for the collection and organisation of information about companion animal behaviour problem cases that avoids some of the limitations of classification systems, is aligned with the current research approach in human psychiatry, and assists the clinician in making a complete and thorough assessment of a case.

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“…It was diagnosed in 16-72% (depending on the aggression type) of 1,644 dogs included in a retrospective case series evaluation of medical records [18] and reported by as many as 36% of 174 South Korean dog owners [9]. Also, aggression was the main reason for behavioural consultation in a study population of 140 dogs, of which 129 were desexed [23], and aggression associated with high perceived costs of dog ownership and with reduced ownership satisfaction [24]. Strongly reduced ownership satisfaction due to a dog's unwanted behaviour may ultimately lead to dog relinquishment [25,26,27] or euthanasia [28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-reports of Dutch dog owners on received professional advice, their opinions on castration and behavioural reasons for castrating male dogs

2020

Self Cite

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Male dogs are often castrated based on the thought that it facilitates well-behavedness. However, the causal evidence for this from prospective studies lacks and the existing associative studies present mixed results depending on the studied behaviours. We aimed to gain insight into possible factors driving an owner's decision to castrate their male dog, through a quantitative survey based on a convenience sample. We determined the advice owners received from three types of dog professionals (veterinarian practitioners, behavioural trainers, behavioural therapists) and the owners' assessments of castration's behavioural effects. Data on 491 Dutch owners of castrated and intact male dogs were analysed with Chi-square tests. Results indicate that owners of both castrated and intact dogs received castration advice most often from veterinarian practitioners, with pro-castration at higher frequencies for owners of castrated dogs (Chi-square, P<0.001). Overall, most owners disagreed with or were neutral about statements on castration positively affecting male dog behaviour at a population level. Nevertheless, 58% (N = 145) of the owners of castrated dogs (N = 249) reported that correcting unwanted behaviour was a reason to castrate their own male dog. Unwanted behaviour involved aggression in 50% (N = 70) of the owner-dog dyads. Castrated dog's aggression changes were reported on most as 'no change'. The second most common answer indicated an aggression decrease in dogs castrated to correct unwanted behaviour and an increase in dogs castrated for other reasons (Chi-square, P<0.001). The increase in aggression in a subset of castrated dogs is concerning, as aggression can pose risks to the dog's welfare. We acknowledge the limitations of our study which identifies associations rather than provides causal evidence. Still, we recommend professionals' awareness of possible negative behavioural changes following castration, like increased aggression. Future research on behavioural consequences of castrating dogs needs to build a more solid knowledge base for balanced advice regarding castration.

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Dog ownership satisfaction determinants in the owner-dog relationship and the dog's behaviour

Cited by 50 publications

References 48 publications

The Translation and Validation of the Dutch Monash Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS)

The Translation and Validation of the Dutch Monash Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS)

Making the Case for Multi-Axis Assessment of Behavioural Problems

Self-reports of Dutch dog owners on received professional advice, their opinions on castration and behavioural reasons for castrating male dogs

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