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Exploring and Developing the Questions Used to Measure the Human-Dog Bond: New and Existing Themes.


ABSTRACT: Dogs play an important role in many western societies, providing companionship, emotional support, and assistance, as well as other more specialist roles. The literature reveals that many human-animal interaction (HAI) questionnaires exist to measure the human-dog bond (HDB). The first part of this study assessed how far existing questionnaires went in measuring HDB (defined as the unique, dynamic and reciprocated relationship between a person and dog, one in which each member can influence the other's psychological and physiological state). A systematic literature review revealed that a common limitation in HDB questionnaires was a lack of questions based on the dog's investment in the bond and, therefore, a failure to measure the two-way characteristic of the HDB. This led to the second part of the study: to identify novel themes relating to dog investment in the HDB from which new tool questions could be developed. This was investigated qualitatively using twelve semi-structured interviews on HDB, undertaken with participants from a variety of dog-guardian relationship types. HDB themes that emerged included 'adaptation', 'understanding of a dog's preferences, likes, and dislikes', and 'affirmation'. Subthemes included 'boundaries' and 'expectations' (within adaptation), 'excitement', 'proximity', 'affection', and 'recall' (within affirmation). The themes that arose provide a foundation from which to build new lines of questioning within HDB tools. Such questioning can better represent a dog's investment in the HDB and, therefore, help create tools that reflect the reciprocal nature of a bond more accurately.

SUBMITTER: Samet LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8996840 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Exploring and Developing the Questions Used to Measure the Human-Dog Bond: New and Existing Themes.

Samet Lauren E LE   Vaterlaws-Whiteside Helen H   Harvey Naomi D ND   Upjohn Melissa M MM   Casey Rachel A RA  

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 20220322 7


Dogs play an important role in many western societies, providing companionship, emotional support, and assistance, as well as other more specialist roles. The literature reveals that many human-animal interaction (HAI) questionnaires exist to measure the human-dog bond (HDB). The first part of this study assessed how far existing questionnaires went in measuring HDB (defined as the unique, dynamic and reciprocated relationship between a person and dog, one in which each member can influence the  ...[more]

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