Human-dog Relationship Research Articles

Dogs on Film: Status, Representation, and the Canine Characters Test.

The representation of animals in cinema and television reflects and reinforces dominant ideologies and traditional stereotypes. While popular culture often legitimizes prevailing social norms and existing power relations, it can also reflect shifting cultural attitudes about traditional axes of inequality such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, and species. Representations of canine characters incidentally embedded in family life provide a unique lens through which to consider the evolving cultural and legal status of dogs and their place in multispecies families. This article introduces a Canine Characters Test, similar to the Bechdel Test used to measure the representation of women in movies, to critically evaluate the representation of dogs in film and television. Applying the test and its four criteria-Role in Narrative, Agency, Language, and Animality-to two examples, this article argues that portrayals that pass the test support a positive shift in social norms regarding dog-human relationships, which in turn bolsters efforts to elevate dogs' status under the law. Benevolent speciesism, authenticity, and problematic tropes such as vanishing, ornamental, and miraculous canines are also discussed.

Dog's Whining Effect on the Attention of Its Owner

This study aimed to discover whether it is possible to transfer attachment vocalizations theory to the human-dog relationship. This study looked at whether people who identified as pet parents showed higher distractions when performing an attention-related task than non-pet parents people with dogs. Also used were the sounds of a baby crying, a neutral dog voice (sniffing), another potentially distracting sound, and silence. 23 people with dogs were examined. A modified version of the Bourdon-Wiersma test and the Lexington Attachment to Pet Scale were used. The study found no significant statistical difference between the stimuli used and between the silence and the rest of the stimuli. Despite the lack of expected effects in the study, it is an important introduction to the subject of pet parenting. It also shows that the chosen way of measuring distraction with emotional stimuli may need to be more accurate. I also show possible future research directions.

Socio-economic evaluation of human-dog coexistence: A 40,000 years history.

The human-animal relationship and its benefits have been a popular issue in recent decades. This study focuses on the dog as a paradigmatic example of this complex bond. The relationship between human and dog evolved over thousands of years through the domestication process. During this period, climatic, cultural, geographical and social changes have had a direct impact on this bond. Dogs have a remarkable capacity to play a variety of roles that mirror the evolution of human societies. Subsequently, questions arise regarding the important and symbolic roles that canines played in ancient cultures, religions and mythological traditions. Specifically, how have these roles changed through history? This research aimed to explore the socio-economic aspects of the human-dog relationship, spanning from ancient civilizations to modern societies. Through a systematic search methodology, this investigation seeks to provide insights into the dynamics of the complex human-dog relationship, including historical backgrounds, socio-cultural dynamics, economic implications and associated challenges. Additionally, the present study addresses the environmental concerns that emerge alongside rising stray dog populations. This research emphasizes the importance of strategies to balance the benefits of this coexistence that promote human and animal welfare.

Exploring Levels of Interspecies Interaction: Expectations, Knowledge, and Empathy in Human-Dog Relationships.

This exploratory study examines the complex dynamics of human-dog relationships and their impact on interspecies communication. Twelve human-dog dyads were studied using narrative interviews to explore how people perceive their relationships with their dogs. In addition, the dyads engaged in a cooperative task to observe interaction dynamics during everyday activities. This study shows that individual expectations frame interactions and that traditional notions of dog ownership are evolving into more family-like relationships. Effective communication relies on a nuanced mix of verbal and non-verbal cues, with empathy emerging as a fundamental element guiding these interactions. Our findings underline the profound influence of human expectations, knowledge and empathy on communication with dogs. They also highlight the critical role of compatibility between human and dog dyads, and emphasize that such compatibility is a key determinant of satisfaction in interspecies relationships. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how human factors modulate communication and satisfaction in human-animal interactions.

Free-ranging dogs quickly learn to recognize a rewarding person

Individual human recognition is important for species that live in close proximity to humans. Numerous studies on domesticated species and urban-adapted birds have highlighted this ability. One such species which is heavily reliant on humans is the free-ranging dog. Very little knowledge exists on the amount of time taken by free-ranging dogs to learn and remember individual humans. Due to their territorial nature, they have a high probability of encountering the same people multiple times on the streets. Being able to distinguish individual humans might be helpful in making decisions regarding people from whom to beg for food or social reward. We investigated if free-ranging dogs are capable of identifying the person rewarding them and the amount of time required for them to learn it. We conducted field trials on randomly selected adult free-ranging dogs in West Bengal, India. On Day 1, a choice test was conducted. The experimenter chosen did not provide reward while the other experimenter provided a piece of boiled chicken followed by petting. The person giving reward on Day 1 served as the correct choice on four subsequent days of training. Day 6 was the test day when none of the experimenters had a reward. We analyzed the choice made by the dogs, the time taken to approach during the choice tests, and the socialization index, which was calculated based on the intensity of affiliative behaviour shown towards the experimenters. The dogs made correct choices at a significantly higher rate on the fifth and sixth days, as compared to Day 2, suggesting learning. This is the first study aiming to understand the time taken for individual human recognition in free-ranging dogs, and can serve as the scaffold for future studies to understand the dog-human relationship in open environments, like urban ecosystems.

Human-Dog Relationships at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, from Zooarchaeological Analyses

Human-Dog Relationships at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, from Zooarchaeological Analyses

Dogs under urbanization: Isotopic insight from the Bronze Age Central Plains of China (ca. 2000–1000 BCE)

Although dogs played multifaceted roles during the early stages of urbanization in China’s Central Plains, research remains limited concerning the management of dogs, the dynamics of human–dog relationships, and dogs’ entanglements with the political economy, ritual, and daily life. Here, we compare stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data from 95 dogs and associated human skeletons from 15 Late Neolithic – Bronze Age sites. Results show two distinct dietary patterns in dogs. Early sites (Xinzhai-Erlitou period, 1900–1520 BCE) show more variability in dog diets, indicative of looser approaches to dog management. Later sites (Late Shang-Western Zhou periods, 1320–770 BCE) show a widespread, homogeneous diet among dogs characterized by higher consumption of C4 millet (greater than in humans’ diets), suggesting the possibility of the emergence of specialized, broadly shared dog management practices linked to increased ritual use of dogs. This study also underscores the complexity of management practices, which would have been influenced by site-specific conditions, including environment and available resources, the site’s position in hierarchical settlement networks, and the varying roles of the dogs. Importantly, this study demonstrates that the comparison of isotopic data from broad temporal and spatial contexts can shed light on animal management practices in early urban economic systems and political economies.

Behavior, long-term stress and relationship to owner in relinquished dogs

Dog ownership gained popularity during the pandemic. However, there was also a corresponding increase in the number of dogs being relinquished and rehomed. The rehoming procedure is known to be stressful to the dog, but the short- and long-term effects still need to be better understood. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the short- and long-term challenges dogs encounter during the rehoming process by combining behavioral and physiological measures. The study included 20 relinquished dogs from a Swedish shelter and 30 rehomed dogs, comparing them to 33 control dogs that have been with their owner since leaving the breeder as puppies. All participants performed an unsolvable problem task, eye-contact test, and memory test and hair samples were obtained to analyze cortisol concentrations. Furthermore, dog owners (of rehomed and control dogs) completed a questionnaire assessing their perceived human-dog relationship. These owner-dog dyads also participated in a behavioral synchronization test. The result indicated that shelter dogs had the shortest eye-contact duration in both an eye-contact test and an unsolvable problem task, but there was no difference between the three groups in the short-term memory test or in stress-related behaviors. Analysis of hair cortisol concentrations in the dogs revealed that the shelter dogs had higher long-term stress levels than rehomed dogs, but they did not differ significantly from control dogs. Both rehomed and control dogs synchronized their behavior with their owner, but, interestingly, the owners of rehomed dogs reported a higher emotional closeness to their dogs than owners of control dogs. Consequently, despite the observed short-term effects during the rehoming procedure, this study suggests that rehomed dogs can adapt to their new life and develop a strong relationship with their owner.

Exogenous oxytocin increases gaze to humans in male cats

Although oxytocin (OT) plays a role in bonding between heterospecifics and conspecifics, the effects of OT on the formation of such interspecific social behavior have only been investigated between humans and dogs (Canis familiaris). In this study, for comparative evaluation of the effects of OT between dog–human and cat–human social interaction, we investigated the effects of exogenous OT on the behavior of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) toward humans. We intranasally administered OT or saline to 30 cats using a nebulizer and recorded their behavior (gaze, touch, vocalization, and proximity). The results showed an interaction between the administration condition and sex for gaze duration. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant increase in gaze in the OT condition in male cats but not in females. There were no significant differences in gaze toward owners and strangers in any condition or sex. The male-specific OT-mediated increase in gaze toward humans observed in this study differs from previous research on dogs wherein such effects were observed only in females. These findings suggest an overall effect of exogenous OT on cats’ social relationship with humans as well as the possibility of different mechanisms between cat–human and dog–human relationships.

Working with dogs in olfactory searches in the French Armed Forces and national Police Forces

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the relationships and cooperation within human-dog teams working in olfactory search in the French Armed Forces and in national Police Forces. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were carried out with canine handlers. The main topic concerned working with their dog during olfactory searches. Among the themes that stand out are relationships with their dog and canine knowledge and practices. Minor differences and similarities between dyads of the two institutions are identified in human-dog relationships. Regarding relationships with dogs, two main differences are linked to the long missions abroad experienced by Armed Forces handlers and the possibility of welcoming dogs into their homes for Police Forces. The constitution of canine knowledge and practices is rooted in experiences and transactions with dogs, but also in social transmission. Even though there is no major differences between the two institutions, this study highlights the interest of having a situated approach.

Intergenerational Transmission of Human Parenting Styles to Human-Dog Relationships.

Parenting style and intergenerational transmission have been extensively studied in parent-child relationships. As dogs are increasingly recognized as integral members of the family system, there is a growing interest in understanding how parenting behaviors directed towards dogs can also influence a dog's behaviors. However, the reasons why people adopt certain parenting behaviors towards dogs remain relatively unknown. This study delved into the intergenerational transmission of parenting styles from one's upbringing to caregiving for dogs. Using a mixed methods approach with 391 dog caregivers and 10 interviews, this study employed multivariate linear regression and thematic analysis. Permissive parenting exhibited an intergenerational effect, with those experiencing it being more likely to replicate the style with their dogs. Orientation towards dogs emerged as a crucial mediator, with protectionistic attitudes reducing the likelihood of replicating authoritarian parenting. Humanistic and protectionistic orientation increased the likelihood of compensatory permissive behaviors. Insights from interviews underscored the impact of perceived childhood experiences on adopting specific parenting behaviors. Ultimately, this study provides valuable insights that can contribute to the promotion of appropriate caregiving behaviors toward dogs. By drawing on our understanding of child-parent relationships, addressing the underlying elements of human-dog dynamics may lead to positive outcomes both for dogs and their caregivers.

Традиционные представления о собаке по данным русской паремиологии

The aim of the research is to establish the traditional perceptions of the dog in Russian linguaculture, using the material from V. I. Dal's ‘Proverbs of the Russian People’. The article identifies various characteristics of the animal (appearance, behavioral traits, human-dog relationships, comparison of dogs with other animals, etc.) that served as sources for folk sayings about dogs. It conducts a lexical-semantic and quantitative analysis of animal nominations, interprets the literal and metaphorical meanings of proverbs. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the reconstruction of the mid-19th-century image of the dog based on proverbial texts, including previously unstudied riddles, reflecting the perception of the animal in the collective consciousness of the Russian people. Dog features are classified into three aspects: 1) the dog as a domestic animal; 2) the dog and humans; 3) the dog and other animals. Proverbial units are interpreted as cognitive structures containing condensed information about the phenomenon of reality. The study proves that the linguo-cognitive interpretation of folklore texts of small genres allows for the reconstruction of a relatively complete image of the dog as a specific fragment of the Russian linguistic worldview.

Coming Home, Staying Home: Adopters' Stories about Transitioning Their New Dog into Their Home and Family.

Published research estimates shelter dogs' post-adoption returns at 7-20%, with a significant percentage of these occurring in the first month post-adoption. To better understand factors that contribute to the success or failure of long-term rehoming outcomes, this study sought to understand post-adoption challenges up to four years post-adoption, targeting dogs identified as more likely to be returned. Thirty-one adopters participated in semi-interviews. Thematic analysis of their responses yielded three themes: (1) The adoption process takes time and requires patience; (2) Building trust and learning limits are essential to lasting adoptive relationships; and (3) Human-dog relationships are idiosyncratic because they involve unique individuals. These results have potential application in programs designed to guide adopters and dogs through a successful adoption process. Access to real-life adoption stories, such as those uncovered in this study, might help new adopters develop reasonable expectations and learn from others' experiences as they work to develop lasting relationships with their dogs.

Owner expectations and surprises of dog ownership experiences in the United Kingdom.

Although many owners are satisfied by dog ownership, large numbers of dogs are relinquished annually, with an estimated 130,000 dogs cared for each year by rescue organisations in the UK. Unrealistic ownership expectations are a potential factor in the decision to relinquish and therefore understanding what surprises owners about the realities of ownership and how this meets their expectations is vital. Using a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study design, as part of Dogs Trust's National Dog Survey 2021, owners were asked 'what has surprised you most about owning a dog?' and to classify how their experiences had compared with their expectations on a list of aspects of ownership as either more than, less than or as expected. Free text responses (n= 2,000) were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo Pro (v.12 QSR) and a quantitative summary of classified expectations (n=354,224) was conducted in R. Many aspects of ownership were reported to be as expected, however a discrepancy between expectation and reality regarding some aspects was revealed. The cost of vet visits was greater than expected for the majority of respondents (52%), whilst other factors that often exceeded expectations included buying/rehoming cost (33%) and amount of patience needed (25%). Damage to furniture was less than expected for many (50%) as was damage to garden (33%). From the thematic analysis, four themes were generated that reflected what surprised owners most about ownership: emotional connectedness of human-dog relationships; dog's impact on human health/wellbeing; understanding what dogs are like; and meeting the demands of ownership. Overall these results aid our understanding of dog-human interactions, highlighting the complexity of the dog-owner relationship which may come with unanticipated costs. Whilst this study's results are reassuring given many aspects of ownership were as expected, and surprises were often positive, some areas had greater impacts than expected, raising opportunities for intervention, resources or support. The aim would be to manage owners' expectations prior to acquisition or ensure these are more realistically met, reducing the likelihood of negative welfare implications for both dog and owner.

The role of dogs in increasing physical activity and improving the health of dog owners

Nowadays pets, especially dogs, are very popular. One of the most common ways of describing dogs is "members of the family". It can be said that nowadays dogs have become an integral part of the household, becoming an important part of one's family and social circle. Not only children want a little friend, but adults also need the company of a pet. Nowadays, the recreational (leisure) purpose of keeping dogs is also increasingly being observed and is becoming more and more visible, as leisure time spent with a dog contributes to improving one's health and working ability. Walking can be one of the most important leisure activities with a dog and can help to provide the daily activity needs. A number of studies have focused on the positive effects of dog walking for physical activity. Research focuses on the positive effects of dog ownership on increasing an individual's physical activity. Active encouragement of dog walking can increase physical activity levels, thus contributing to improving people's health and quality of life [14, 15, 45, 59]. Studies suggest that dog ownership has a positive impact on physical activity [62, 63, 64]. More and more dog owners are now taking their dogs with them on both their travels and holidays. Physical activity, which includes exercise, is inversely related to mortality but also to reducing obesity rates, and thus has an important role in preventing disease, improving quality of life [18] and reducing healthcare expenditure. The aim of my research is to investigate the dog-human relationship and the role and importance of the recreational activity system in this context in society. A further aim of my research was to investigate the role and impact of dogs on dog owners' physical activity, dog interaction and mental health. To achieve my goal, I created an online questionnaire. In my research, I sought to answer questions about how dog owners develop a relationship with their companion animal, the role of the dog in their active leisure time and the impact of the dog on the owner's mental health.

Human-Dog-Relationship and its positive effects on dogs and their humans with special needs

Dogs might enjoy interaction with humans, making the human-dog relationship (HDR) important and necessary for domestic dogs. This relationship has expanded into an interaction where dogs are not solely considered companion animals but “service animals” for humans with special needs such as blindness, deafness, locomotion problems, or various conditions such as cardiovascular pathologies, epilepsy, diabetes, depression, and autism. This review aims to emphasize the effects of positive HDR on animal welfare and people with health or psychological problems, as well as individuals with special needs. It has been concluded that HDR is an interaction between humans and companion animals that might bring benefits for both. Companion animals are immersed in pleasant situations, and positive emotions might arise when keeping them physically and mentally active. Moreover, the welfare of dogs can also be improved due to the close bond with humans, who endeavor positive HDR and stress-free situations.

On the Role of Technology in Human–Dog Relationships: A Future of Nightmares or Dreams?

Digital technologies that help people take care of their dogs are becoming more widespread. Yet, little research explores what the role of technology in the human-dog relationship should be. We conducted a qualitative study incorporating quantitative and thematic analysis of 155 UK dog owners reflecting on their daily routines and technology's role in it, disentangling the what-where-why of interspecies routines and activities, technological desires, and rationales for technological support across common human-dog activities. We found that increasingly entangled daily routines lead to close multi-species households where dog owners conceptualize technology as having a role to support them in giving care to their dogs. When confronted with the role of technology across various activities, only chores like cleaning up after their dogs lead to largely positive considerations, while activities that benefit themselves like walking together lead to largely negative considerations. For other activities, whether playing, training, or feeding, attitudes remain diverse. In general, across all activities both a nightmare scenario of technology taking the human's role and in doing so disentangling the human-dog bond, as well as a dream scenario of technology augmenting human abilities arise. We argue that the current trajectory of digital technology for pets is increasingly focused on enabling remote interactions, an example of the nightmare scenario in our thematic analysis. It is important to redirect this trajectory to one of technology predominantly supporting us in becoming better and more informed caregivers.

In the Doghouse? An Exploration of Online Discussions Around the Challenges of Human-Dog Relationships

Abstract Though many prospective dog guardians have an optimistic view of dog-human relationships, the realities can be challenging. This paper discusses carer-reported emotional impacts of dealing with more problematic relationships with dogs. This study used a Grounded Theory method to qualitatively analyze 35 discussion threads about dog behavior, from two UK-based online discussion forums between June–October 2019. The study found a close link between the carers’ perceptions of their relationships with their dogs, and whether the dogs behaved in ways that the owners considered acceptable. Puppy owners experienced substantial emotional disruption when they perceived the behaviors of their puppies to be outside of their expected boundaries. This paper highlights the importance of helping carers to manage their expectations of dog guardianship, and underlines the importance of emotional support when carers struggle to cope.

Modulation of dog–owner relationship and dog social and cognitive behavior by owner temperament and dog breed group

As companion dogs spend most of their lives with humans, the human–dog relationship and owner temperament may affect the dog behavior. In this study (n = 440), we investigated the relationship between the dog owner temperament (ATQ-R), owner-perceived dog–owner relationship (MDORS) and the dog behavior in three behavioral tests: the object-choice test, the unsolvable task, and the cylinder test. Dog owner temperament influenced the dog–owner relationship. Owners with high negative affectivity showed higher emotional closeness and perceived costs of their dog, whereas owners with high effortful control showed lower emotional closeness and perceived costs. Higher dog activity during the behavioral tests was also connected with owner-perceived lower emotional closeness. Furthermore, dog breed group modulated the connection between the owner temperament and dog behavior. Owner’s high negative affectivity correlated with herding dogs’ lower scores in the object choice test, while the behavior of primitive type dogs was unaffected by the owner temperament. Our results confirm that human characteristics are associated with the owner-reported dog–owner relationship, and owner temperament may have a modulatory effect on the dog social and cognitive behavior depending on the dog breed group, which should be investigated further.

Effect of feeding toy and the presence of a dog owner during the feeding time on dog welfare

Background and Aim: A conventional feeding bowl is the primary method that dog owners use to feed their dogs, but this may not encourage natural behaviors and may even exacerbate unwanted behaviors. This study aimed to compare a conventional feeding bowl to a feeding toy in relation to behavior, cortisol levels, and heart rate variability (HRV). Materials and Methods: The behaviors of four dogs were recorded and analyzed while being fed using either a stainless bowl (B) or a feeding toy (T) and either alone (A) or accompanied by a dog owner (O) for 30 min with each treatment (BA, BO, TA, and TO treatments). The dogs that were fed alone with the stainless bowl (BC) or the feeding toy (TC) were fed for 15 min/day for 7 days with their treatment, and serum cortisol levels measured on the first and last days of treatment. The dogs fed by the stainless bowl (BH) or the feeding toy (TH) with the owner present for 15 min for each treatment had their heart rate (HR) and HRV recorded by Polar® H10 during feedings The results were compared using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measure ANOVA, and Student’s t-test. Results: The dogs spent more time eating and interacting with the feeding toys than stainless bowls. The activity of the dogs was higher when using feeding toys, particularly with the TO treatment. Cortisol levels were significantly lower on day 7 than on day 1 of the TC treatment. The dogs’ HR was higher during TH treatment than during BH treatment. All HRV parameters were decreased significantly when feeding the dog with the toys. Conclusion: The results of this study support the idea that feeding enrichment supports the natural feeding behaviors of dogs as they mimic hunting and playing behaviors. This reduced unwanted behavior, cortisol levels, and HRV, and increased food consumption, eating duration, and active behaviors. The presence of the dog’s owner is important because it can enhance feeding and active behaviors, and feeding enrichment can improve the dog’s welfare and the dog-human relationship. Keywords: cortisol, dog behavior, dog welfare, dog-human relationship, feeding toy, heart rate variability.