Relinquishing Owners Underestimate Their Dog's Behavioral Problems: Deception or Lack of Knowledge?

ABSTRACT: Undesirable behavior is a leading cause of canine relinquishment. Relinquishing owners could provide valuable information about their dog's behavior, although the reliability of their reports has been questioned by the sheltering community. This study aimed to investigate (a) whether relinquishing owners' reports of dog behavior differed based on the behavioral screening method; (b) whether relinquishing owners' reports were impacted by the confidentiality of their responses; and (c) whether relinquishing and non-relinquishing owners perceived the behavior of their dogs differently. The sample included 427 relinquished dogs from three animal shelters and 427 pet dogs, matched for sex and breed. Owners responded to a direct question about whether they were experiencing problems with their d

SUBMITTER: Powell L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8461173 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature