Abstract
Simple SummaryEach year, many people around the world get a pet dog. With so many different types and breeds of dogs available, and a variety of sources from which to obtain a dog, the process of getting a dog can be complex. The decisions involved in this process are likely influenced by a variety of human- and dog-related factors and this review explores the factors that appear to be the most important.Given the prevalence of pet dogs in households throughout the world, decisions regarding dog acquisition affect many people each year. Across the stages of dog acquisition there is potential for practices that may promote or compromise canine welfare. For instance, prospective owners may not fully understand the time, energy and financial commitment entailed in their decision to acquire a dog. Thus, it is pressing that stakeholders, including those working in the canine welfare sector, refine their ability to identify and respond to trends in the behavior of potential dog owners. The motivations, attitudes and behaviors of current and prospective dog owners is a small but growing area of interdisciplinary study. Yet, no synthesis of the evidence exists. To address this gap, this critical review collates data and insights from studies published by academic researchers and animal welfare charities. The most widely reported factors associated with acquisition behavior include: the dog’s physical appearance, behavior and health; social influences, such as trends in the popularity of certain breeds; demographic and socioeconomic factors; and the owner’s previous ownership experience. Overall, the research discussed in this paper highlights that complex interactions likely underpin the various factors that might influence prospective owners’ motivators and behaviors.
Highlights
In many parts of the world, pet dogs are highly prevalent
While this paper focuses on the various stages of the process of dog acquisition, it is important to note that not all owners experience an active decision-making process prior to acquiring their dog: for example, some may instead act on impulse based on opportunity
Westgarth et al [16] identified households with five or more occupants as being more likely to own a dog than those with fewer members. This finding has been supported by a cross-sectional study of pet owning households across the UK, in which it was reported that the likelihood of dog ownership increased as the number of people within a household increased [17]
Summary
In many parts of the world, pet dogs are highly prevalent. Dog-ownership is reported in 49% of US households [1], 39% of Australian households [2] and 26% of UK households [3]. The paper is divided into sections summarizing the evidence regarding four key areas in the process of dog acquisition: (1) the decision to acquire a dog; (2) the decision about what type of dog to acquire; (3) the decision about which individual dog to acquire; and (4) the decision regarding which source to acquire a dog from While these stages are discussed here sequentially, for ease of discussing the research, in practice it is likely that the sequence of the stages varies widely between owners, both in terms of the order and pace at which the process is experienced and, as noted above, in some instances one or more stages may not occur at all
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