Current Dog Owners Research Articles

Protective effects of dog ownership against the onset of disabling dementia in older community-dwelling Japanese: A longitudinal study

This prospective study examined the associations of dog/cat ownership with incident disabling dementia using propensity score matching based on the physical, social, and psychological characteristics of dog and cat owners. We also examined associations of the interaction between dog/cat ownership and exercise habit and social isolation with dementia. Overall, 11,194 older adults selected using stratified and random sampling strategies in 2016 were analyzed. Dog/cat ownership was defined as “current” or “past and never”. Disabling dementia was defined according to physicians’ rating in the long-term care insurance system in Japan during the approximately 4-year follow-up period. Statistical analysis was weighted by the inverse of the propensity score in the generalized estimating equation after adjusting for follow-up period. Current dog owners (8.6 %) had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 (95 %CI: 0.37–0.977) of having disabling dementia compared to past and never owners. For cat ownership, the corresponding OR was 0.98 (95 %CI: 0.62–1.55). Current dog owners with a regular exercise habit had an OR of 0.37 (0.20–0.68) compared to past and never dog owners with no exercise habit. Further, current dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.41 (0.23–0.73) compared to past and never dog owners with social isolation. Dog ownership had a suppressive effect on incident disabling dementia after adjusting for background factors over a 4-year follow-up period. Specifically, dog owners with an exercise habit and no social isolation had a significantly lower risk of disabling dementia.

Exploring behaviours perceived as important for human-Dog bonding and their translation to a robotic platform.

To facilitate long-term engagement with social robots, emerging evidence suggests that modelling robots on social animals with whom many people form enduring social bonds-specifically, pet dogs-may be useful. However, scientific understanding of the features of pet dogs that are important for establishing and maintaining social bonds remains limited to broad qualities that are liked, as opposed to specific behaviours. To better understand dog behaviours that are perceived as important for facilitating social bonds between owner and pet, we surveyed current dog owners (n = 153) with open-ended questions about their dogs' behaviours. Thematic analysis identified 7 categories of behaviours perceived as important to human-dog bonding, including: 1) attunement, 2) communication, 3) consistency and predictability, 4) physical affection, 5) positivity and enthusiasm, 6) proximity, and 7) shared activities. We consider the feasibility of translating these behaviours into a social robotic platform, and signpost potential barriers moving forward. In addition to providing insight into important behaviours for human-dog bonding, this work provides a springboard for those hoping to implement dog behaviours into animal-like artificial agents designed for social roles.

Dog Owner Perceptions of Veterinary Handling Techniques.

Simple SummaryImproving the veterinary experience for domestic dogs and their owners is important to promote canine welfare and owner compliance with routine veterinary care. Incorporating dog owner perspectives on portions of the veterinary appointment can help increase dog owner satisfaction and clinic visits. Thus, an online survey was distributed to current dog owners residing in Canada and the United States, to assess owner agreement towards 13 handling techniques used on dogs during routine veterinary appointments, when the participants’ dog was calm, fearful, or aggressive. We also assessed the influence of participant’s pet attachment and demographic information on owner agreement towards the handling techniques. Participants (N = 1176) generally disagreed with the use of more restrictive techniques and agreed with less restrictive techniques, regardless of dog behavior. We found that dog owners preferred full body restraint used on fearful dogs if they had previous veterinary experience or were male; whereas dog owners preferred minimal restraint used on fearful dogs if they had a stronger attachment to their pets or if they did not have previous veterinary experience. As owner perspectives align with current handling recommendations, we encourage veterinarians to incorporate owner perspectives to help improve dog and owner experiences during routine veterinary care.Veterinary care can be a source of stress for domestic dogs and their owners. If a dog owner is not satisfied with the veterinary experience, this may reduce the frequency of veterinary visits and negatively impact a dog’s health and welfare. Allowing dog owners to offer their perspectives on aspects of the veterinary appointment may help improve owner satisfaction. We assessed owner agreement towards 13 recommended handling techniques used on dogs during routine veterinary appointments, when the participants’ dog was calm, fearful, or aggressive. An online cross-sectional survey targeting current dog owners, residing in Canada and the United States, was used to examine the influence of participant’s pet attachment (using the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS)) and demographic information (age, gender, experience working in the veterinary field) on owner agreement towards the handling techniques. The majority of participants (N = 1176) disagreed with higher restraint techniques (e.g., full body restraint, muzzle hold) and tools (e.g., dog mask), and agreed with lower restraint techniques (e.g., minimal restraint) regardless of dog demeanor. Logistic regression models revealed that for medium/large dog owners, having previous veterinary work experience resulted in lower agreement with the use of minimal restraint (p < 0.0001) and higher agreement with the use of full body restraint on fearful dogs (p = 0.01). Small dog owners were more likely to agree with the use of minimal restraint on fearful dogs if they had a higher pet attachment score (p < 0.001), and were more likely to agree with full body restraint if they had previous veterinary work experience (p < 0.0001) or were male (p = 0.02). Owner perspectives align with current handling recommendations and provide further support for the use of low stress handling methods to improve owner satisfaction and dog welfare during routine veterinary care.

Accuracy of Canine vs. Human Emotion Identification: Impact of Dog Ownership and Belief in Animal Mind

Abstract Humans are adept at extrapolating emotional information from the facial expressions of other humans but may have difficulties identifying emotions in dogs. This can increase risk for compromised dog and human welfare. Experience with dogs, and beliefs in animal minds, may influence interspecies emotional communication, yet limited research has investigated these variables. In this study, participants (n = 122 adults) were asked to identify human and dog emotional facial expressions (happiness, fearfulness, anger/aggression) through an online experimental emotion recognition task. Experience with dogs (through dog ownership and duration of current dog ownership), emotion attribution (through beliefs about animal mind), and demographics were also measured. Results showed that fear and happiness were more easily identified in human faces, whereas aggression was more easily identified in dog faces. Duration of current dog ownership, age, and gender identity did not relate to accuracy scores, but current dog owners were significantly better at identifying happiness in dog faces than non-dog owners. Dog ownership and duration of ownership related to increased beliefs about, and confidence in, the emotional ability of dogs. Additionally, belief in animal sentience was positively correlated with accuracy scores for identifying happiness in dogs. Overall, these exploratory findings show that adult humans, particularly current dog owners and those who believe in the emotionality of dogs, can accurately identify some basic emotions in dogs but may be more skilled at identifying positive than negative emotions. The findings have implications for preventing negative human-animal interactions through intervention strategies that target animal emotionality.

Risk-factors associated with veterinary-related fear and aggression in owned domestic dogs

Fear and aggression in dogs within veterinary clinics can lead to canine welfare impairments and pose a safety concern for veterinary staff. However, few studies have explored potential underlying causes for this fear and aggression. We used an online cross-sectional survey targeted to current dog owners to examine risk-factors associated with fear and aggression within veterinary clinics. The factors we assessed in the survey were related to dog characteristics (e.g., sex, breed), fear and aggression responses in everyday scenarios (e.g., stranger-directed fear), experiences at the veterinary clinic (e.g., frequency of visits), training, early socialization, and owner demographics (e.g., gender, age). Data were analyzed using mixed linear regression models, with participant as a random effect to account for multiple dogs within the same household. For fear within veterinary clinics, dogs (n = 1346) were significantly more likely to be rated as fearful by their owners if they were neutered at ≤1 year of age; received their first nail trim at an older age; were rated as having severe non-social fear, or stranger-directed fear and aggression, or as being stressed or aggressive during body handling; had a negative change in behaviour after an aversive clinic experience; and if owners indicated being nervous during situations within the veterinary clinic. For aggression within veterinary clinics, dogs (n = 1776) were more likely to be rated as aggressive if they were reported to be fearful of the veterinary clinic, fearful of feet toweling, or stressed or aggressive during body handling, if the owner reported using positive punishment during routine training, or if any of the following had occurred during clinic visits: examination shortened, use of towel restraint or muzzling, dog bite directed at staff member, general use of positive punishment on the dog, and if the owner indicated being nervous during situations within the veterinary clinic. Random effects for participant were significant for both fear and aggression models, with intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.36 (CI: 0.21−0.54, p = 0.0004) and 0.16 (CI: 0.06−0.36, p = 0.017), respectively, indicating some correlation in behaviour amongst dogs owned by the same person. These results suggest that both fear and aggression within veterinary clinics are related to dog personality, previous early experiences and veterinary clinic experiences, and owner experiences during veterinary visits. These findings can be used to generate hypotheses for future research aimed at preventing the development of fear and aggression within a veterinary setting.

Association between dog ownership and type 2 diabetes in later life: the Helsinki birth cohort study

ABSTRACT Dog ownership has been reported to have beneficial effects on physical activity and emotional well-being, both known to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dog ownership during the whole life course and having T2D in later life. The study subjects consisted of 731 people (307 men and 424 women) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. We assessed dog ownership with questionnaires, for every decade of life as well as current dog ownership. We investigated the associations between dog ownership and T2D with generalised estimating equation models and with generalised linear models. At a mean age of 71.0 (standard deviation [SD] 2.6) years, 13% of the participants had T2D. Dog ownership prior to the clinical examination was not associated with T2D (p ≥ 0.51). In men, but not in women, current dog owners had greater odds of having T2D compared with the non-owners when adjusted for age when clinically examined, socio-economic status, smoking, leisure-time physical activity, chronic diseases (OR = 3.32, 95% confidence interval 1.25–8.79, p = 0.016). In the age group of people around 70 years, dog ownership is not associated with reduced odds for developing T2D. Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index; CI: confidence interval; GEE: generalised estimating equation; HBCS: Helsinki Birth Cohort Study; KIHD: Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease; LTPA: leisure-time physical activity; MET: metabolic equivalent of task; OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test; OR: Odds ratio; SD: standard deviation; SES: socio-economic status; T2D: type 2 diabetes

Dog Ownership from a Life Course Perspective and Leisure-time Physical Activity in Late Adulthood: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Objective We investigated the association between dog ownership during the life course and leisure-time PA (LTPA) in late adulthood. Methods We included 714 participants (mean age = 70.8 ± 2.6 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS). Dog ownership for every decade of life, current dog ownership, and current LTPA in metabolic equivalents of task (MET) were assessed with questionnaires. Age and sex adjusted generalized estimating equation models and analysis of regression were applied for the analyses. Results No significant age by dog ownership interaction on total, conditioning or non-conditioning LTPA was found (p ≥ .68). However, after the age of 40 years, dog ownership was increasingly associated with greater total and non-conditioning LTPA in later life. The mean difference in total LTPA, which was mostly explained by non-conditioning LTPA, was largest between the current dog owners and non-owners (15.2 MET-hours/week, 95% CI: 5.5-24.8, p = .002). ConclusionsCurrent dog ownership is associated with 15.2 MET-hours/week greater total LTPA compared to the non-owners. The differences were already observable after the age of 40. Thus, dog ownership induced increase in LTPA can have a positive influence on the aging processes and consequently positively influence healthy active aging.

Associations between owner personality and psychological status and the prevalence of canine behavior problems.

Behavioral problems are a major source of poor welfare and premature mortality in companion dogs. Previous studies have demonstrated associations between owners’ personality and psychological status and the prevalence and/or severity of their dogs’ behavior problems. However, the mechanisms responsible for these associations are currently unknown. Other studies have detected links between the tendency of dogs to display behavior problems and their owners’ use of aversive or confrontational training methods. This raises the possibility that the effects of owner personality and psychological status on dog behavior are mediated via their influence on the owner’s choice of training methods. We investigated this hypothesis in a self-selected, convenience sample of 1564 current dog owners using an online battery of questionnaires designed to measure, respectively, owner personality, depression, emotion regulation, use of aversive/confrontational training methods, and owner-reported dog behavior. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses identified modest, positive associations between owners’ use of aversive/confrontational training methods and the prevalence/severity of the following dog behavior problems: owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed aggression, separation problems, chasing, persistent barking, and house-soiling (urination and defecation when left alone). The regression models also detected modest associations between owners’ low scores on four of the ‘Big Five’ personality dimensions (Agreeableness, Emotional Stability, Extraversion & Conscientiousness) and their dogs’ tendency to display higher rates of owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed fear, and/or urination when left alone. The study found only weak evidence to support the hypothesis that these relationships between owner personality and dog behavior were mediated via the owners’ use of punitive training methods, but it did detect a more than five-fold increase in the use of aversive/confrontational training techniques among men with moderate depression. Further research is needed to clarify the causal relationship between owner personality and psychological status and the behavioral problems of companion dogs.

A Web-Based Study of Dog Ownership and Depression Among People Living With HIV

BackgroundPeople living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) are approximately twice as likely to be depressed compared with HIV-negative individuals. Depression is consistently associated with low antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, an important step within the HIV care continuum related to HIV disease progression and overall health. One factor that may have positive psychosocial benefits and promote ART adherence is dog ownership. Research indicates that dog ownership is associated with lower depression, and initial evidence suggests its positive impact on psychosocial outcomes for PLHIV.ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to expand the existing research by examining the relationship between current dog ownership and depression for a sample of PLHIV while controlling for demographic characteristics and other potential confounders.MethodsParticipants aged 18 years or older and who self-reported an HIV diagnosis were recruited via social media into When Dogs Heal, a cross-sectional Web-based survey to collect data among adult PLHIV. The research visit was conducted via a Web-based survey, and there was no in-person interaction with the participant. Primary outcome measures included demographic questions (age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), pet ownership (type of pet owned and current dog ownership), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, 10 items), and resilience (Resilience Research Centre Adult Resilience Measure, 28 items).ResultsA total of 252 participants were enrolled into the study in January 2016, with a final analytic sample of 199 participants. Mean age was 49 years, 86.4% (172/199) of participants were male, and 80.4% (160/199) were white. Current dog ownership was prevalent among the sample (68.3%, 136/199). Bivariate analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between depression and demographic characteristics (age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), with P>.05. The multivariate logistic regression, including age, race, ethnicity, gender, resilience, and current dog ownership, was significant, with P<.001. Of the 6 predictor variables, only 2 were statistically significant: dog ownership and resilience. Noncurrent dog owners had 3 times higher odds of depression in comparison with current dog owners: odds ratio 3.01; 95% CI 1.54-6.21.ConclusionsGrowing evidence suggests that dog ownership reduces the likelihood of depression and, therefore, may confer long-term health benefits on PLHIV. Future studies should explore whether dog-specific interventions are a feasible and efficacious intervention to improve outcomes among PLHIV.

The death and owning of the companion dog: Association between resource loss and stress in healthy Israeli women

Abstract Dog owners often regard their dogs as family members that provide companionship and feelings of security and of being loved. The loss of a dog may be experienced as a stressful life event and lead to bereavement. The aim of this study was to explore the contribution of a Conservation of Resources (COR) theory to the understanding of the effects pet dogs might have on their healthy adult owners' stress. We performed a cross-sectional study of 110 current dog owners and 103 bereaved owners, all females. Veterinarians from 48 private clinics from central Israel referred the researchers to owners who euthanized their pet dogs in 1-month period. The control group included owners who had lived with the dogs for more than 2 years. Based on the COR theory, 2 new instruments to measure resource losses and gains of owners were assembled. The level of stress was assessed by the Perceived Stress and the Somatic Complaints scales. Stress was stronger for bereaved owners (statistically significant). In multivariate regression, for current owners, the factors correlated with stress were: number of cigarettes, performing or not performing sports activity in previous 2 weeks, and dog-related losses. For bereaved owners, the factors that correlated with stress were number of cigarettes and losses owing to a dog's death. The findings of the study supported the hypothesis that stress among bereaved owners is higher than that among the current owners. It seems that the death of a dog is a stressful life event.

Differences in behavioral characteristics between dogs obtained as puppies from pet stores and those obtained from noncommercial breeders

To compare the owner-reported prevalence of behavioral characteristics in dogs obtained as puppies from pet stores with that of dogs obtained as puppies from noncommercial breeders. Cross-sectional study. Animals-Dogs obtained as puppies from pet stores (n = 413) and breeder-obtained dogs (5,657). Behavioral evaluations were obtained from a large convenience sample of current dog owners with the online version of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire, which uses ordinal scales to rate either the intensity or frequency of the dogs' behavior. Hierarchic linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze the effects of source of acquisition on behavioral outcomes when various confounding and intervening variables were controlled for. Pet store-derived dogs received significantly less favorable scores than did breeder-obtained dogs on 12 of 14 of the behavioral variables measured; pet store dogs did not score more favorably than breeder dogs in any behavioral category. Compared with dogs obtained as puppies from noncommercial breeders, dogs obtained as puppies from pet stores had significantly greater aggression toward human family members, unfamiliar people, and other dogs; greater fear of other dogs and nonsocial stimuli; and greater separation-related problems and house soiling. Obtaining dogs from pet stores versus noncommercial breeders represented a significant risk factor for the development of a wide range of undesirable behavioral characteristics. Until the causes of the unfavorable differences detected in this group of dogs can be specifically identified and remedied, the authors cannot recommend that puppies be obtained from pet stores.

Comparison of factors limiting acquisition versus retention of companion dogs

s of the 7th International Veterinary Behaviour Meeting, Edinburgh, Scotland, 28-31 October 2009 CORRELATES OF A SUCCESSFUL HUMAN: DOG BOND C.L. Corridan*, D.S. Mills, K. Pfeffer Animal Behavior, Cognition & Welfare Group, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK. LN2 2LG Department of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS *Corresponding author: clairecorridan@yahoo.co.uk Current dog owners were recruited through the dog press, media and animal welfare organizations and asked to complete an online survey which enabled data collection for: dog and dog owner demographics, owner satisfaction ratings for their dog, information on a range of dog activity items (time commitment, frequency, predictability and control), and the prevalence of canine behavioral problems. The population was divided into dog owners reporting high and low satisfaction with their dog (using the median point as the dividing point between categories) and owners of dogs with and without any reported behavioral problems. Demographic and dog activity item responses given by more highly satisfied owners of dogs without behavioral problems, defined for the purposes of this paper as a ‘successful human: dog bond,’ were compared against the remainder of the sample population. Univariate analysis (Chi-squared test) revealed that 2/10 demographic factors and 18/ 66 dog activity item factors differed significantly at p , 0.0001 between these two dog owner groups. These 20 factors were then entered into a binary logistic regression model which revealed 4 strongly predictive factors for a successful human: dog bond. These were: dog owner age group, control of play by the dog owner rather than the dog, time spent engaging in exercise where the dog is restrained by a lead or harness, and exposure to potentially frightening experiences for the dog 1-3 times each week, without induction of any fearful or phobic behaviors in the dog. The implications of these findings should be considered in the advice given to new or potential dog owners from both ee front matter 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. rescue and private sources in order to help establish appropriate routines and expectations.