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19 pages, 899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Strategies of Canine Post-Adoption Support: Methods for a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study

by Emma L. Buckland, Kassandra Giragosian, Eleanor J. Jordan, Rosa E. P. Da Costa, Joshua L. Woodward and Rachel A. Casey

Animals 2025, 15(9), 1232; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091232 - 27 Apr 2025

Viewed by 447

Abstract

In 2018, Dogs Trust (UK) launched the Post Adoption Support project, the largest known prospective cohort study investigating behavioural and health problems post-rehoming of dogs. Individuals adopting a dog from any UK Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre are eligible to receive phone calls regarding [...] Read more.

In 2018, Dogs Trust (UK) launched the Post Adoption Support project, the largest known prospective cohort study investigating behavioural and health problems post-rehoming of dogs. Individuals adopting a dog from any UK Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre are eligible to receive phone calls regarding their dog’s health and behaviour at specific timepoints after adoption (2 days, 2 weeks, 4 months). Alongside providing an early and proactive framework to support the wellbeing of the adopter and dog, the project collects rich longitudinal data on dog health and behaviour following adoption to assess the development of issues, the impact of support given, and re-relinquishment risk. This paper details the methodology and study design of the Post Adoption Support project and describes a cohort profile of adoptions over an initial 6-month period. In the cohort, behaviour and health data were collected from 5498 adopters, with call success for those eligible ranging from 72% (4 months) to 89% (2 days). Data from these calls will provide significant insights into canine welfare during the first 4 months post-adoption, which can be used to inform strategies for effective and impactful rehoming and post-adoption support. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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24 pages, 264 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

New 28-Item and 12-Item Dog Owner Relationship Scales: Contemporary Versions of the MDORS with a Revised Four-Component Structure

by Pauleen C. Bennett, Deanna L. Tepper, Louisa Rogers, Chiara Mariti and Tiffani J. Howell

Animals 2025, 15(5), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050632 - 21 Feb 2025

Viewed by 712

Abstract

Numerous scales have been developed to assess pet–owner relationship quality. One commonly used measure is the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) and its various derivatives. Since this scale was published in 2006, many social changes have occurred, necessitating a review and, if [...] Read more.

Numerous scales have been developed to assess pet–owner relationship quality. One commonly used measure is the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) and its various derivatives. Since this scale was published in 2006, many social changes have occurred, necessitating a review and, if necessary, refinement of this measure. We sought to investigate the internal consistency and structure of the existing instrument, as well as an expanded and modified version of the scale, in a contemporary adult sample of over 350 adults, recruited to be potentially less dog-centric than previous samples. The existing three-factor structure of the MDORS appeared reasonably sound, but a Principal Components Analysis with modified items resulted in identification of a four-component structure. Two of the components approximated existing MDORS measures: the Perceived Costs of Dog Ownership and the owner’s Emotional Reliance on their pet. Rather than replicating the existing Pet Owner Interaction subscale, however, we identified two different types of engagement: Affectionate Engagement and Active Engagement. The subscale scores and the total score were, as expected, intercorrelated with each other and with the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale. Perhaps surprisingly, however, they were statistically associated with very few demographic variables, such as owner gender, age, education, or residence location, and they were rarely associated with dog variables such as age, sex, or source. This may speak to the current near-universality of strong human–dog relationships, which we propose can now be assessed using two new measures: the Dog Owner Relationship Scale 28 (DORS28) and a shortened version, the Dog Owner Relationship Scale 12 (DORS12). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

16 pages, 1070 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

‘There Is Not a Word’, but Is It Necessary? Analyzing Pragmatic Decisions Regarding Terminology Within Multispecies Family Relationships

by Javier López-Cepero, Alicia Español and Ángel Rodríguez-Banda

Animals 2025, 15(4), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040568 - 16 Feb 2025

Viewed by 655

Abstract

This study analyzes the decision making that underlies the choice of terms we use to refer to companion animals. Three focus groups were developed, including participants from different demographic backgrounds who answered questions about their experience cohabitating with companion animals. The interviews were [...] Read more.

This study analyzes the decision making that underlies the choice of terms we use to refer to companion animals. Three focus groups were developed, including participants from different demographic backgrounds who answered questions about their experience cohabitating with companion animals. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Thematic Analysis, carrying out a progressive refinement of the semantic contents until abstracting general themes. This study organizes the results based on three themes: (1) What you mean to me, contemplating human–animal relationships such as multispecies family, pet–owner relationship, human-like relationship, and objectivization; (2) Others’ surveillance, encompassing the role of social pressure in decision making; and (3) A good solution (here and now), focused on the strategic decisions made to balance the prior questions. The analysis shows that companion animals are usually considered part of the family, but that importance is not always freely communicated outside of the household. Often, participants try to nuance the importance of their companion animals, mask this relationship behind jokes, or tend to isolate themselves to avoid hostile social attention. These findings show the dilemmas faced by people who live with animals and point to the urgency of revising hegemonic discourses to improve the integration of these new family models in Spanish society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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11 pages, 1179 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Dogs’ Gazing Behavior to Humans Is Related to Their Liveliness, Aggressiveness, and the Emotional Comfort They Provide

by Eniko Kubinyi, Andrea Sommese, Márta Gácsi and Ádám Miklósi

Animals 2025, 15(4), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040483 - 8 Feb 2025

Viewed by 2807

Abstract

Gazing toward humans is fundamental in dog–human communication. This study aimed to characterize companion dogs based on their gazing behavior and to explore the potential links between gazing, personality (liveliness, confidence, aggressiveness, and attachment), emotional comfort provided to the owners, and breed. We [...] Read more.

Gazing toward humans is fundamental in dog–human communication. This study aimed to characterize companion dogs based on their gazing behavior and to explore the potential links between gazing, personality (liveliness, confidence, aggressiveness, and attachment), emotional comfort provided to the owners, and breed. We observed 171 dogs in an ambiguous situation involving a moving stimulus, a remote-controlled toy car and gathered additional data with questionnaires. Our behavior analysis, based on gaze frequency directed at the owner and experimenter, identified four distinct clusters of dogs: low gazers, experimenter-focused gazers, owner-focused gazers, and frequent gazers. We found that experimenter-focused gazers exhibited lower levels of liveliness than frequent gazers and were reported to be less aggressive than low gazers and frequent gazers. Owner-focused gazers provided more emotional comfort to their owners than low gazers. Regarding breeds, 56.5% of German shepherd dogs were low gazers, compared to only 5.3% of golden retrievers. Age, sex, neutered status, and approaching the stimulus were not associated with cluster membership. These results highlight the complexity of dog–human communication, suggesting that personality, emotional factors, and breed shape how dogs seek guidance and support from humans or express anxiety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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11 pages, 589 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distinguishing Doors and Floors on All Fours: Landmarks as Tools for Vertical Navigation Learning in Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris)

by Lila Muscosky and Alexandra Horowitz

Animals 2024, 14(22), 3316; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223316 - 18 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1369

Abstract

Spatial navigation allows animals to understand their environment position and is crucial to survival. An animal’s primary mode of spatial navigation (horizontal or vertical) is dependent on how they naturally move in space. Observations of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) have [...] Read more.

Spatial navigation allows animals to understand their environment position and is crucial to survival. An animal’s primary mode of spatial navigation (horizontal or vertical) is dependent on how they naturally move in space. Observations of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) have shown that they, like other terrestrial animals, navigate poorly in vertical space. This deficit is visible in their use of multi-story buildings. To date, no research has been conducted to determine if dogs can learn how to navigate in an anthropogenic vertical environment with the help of a landmark. As such, we herein investigate the effect of the addition of a visual or olfactory landmark on dogs’ ability to identify when they are on their home floor. Subject behaviors toward their home door and a contrasting floor door were compared before and after exposure to a landmark outside of their home door. While subjects initially showed no difference in latency to approach an apartment door on their home or a wrong floor, we found a significant difference in latency to approach the doors in the test trials for subjects who approached the doors in every trial. Other findings are equivocal, but this result is consistent with the hypothesis that dogs can learn to navigate in vertical space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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14 pages, 486 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

How Attachment to Dogs and to Other Humans Relate to Mental Health

by Katherine Northrope, Matthew B. Ruby and Tiffani J. Howell

Animals 2024, 14(19), 2773; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14192773 - 26 Sep 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3670

Abstract

It is unclear how pet ownership is related to mental health, with some previous research suggesting pet owners have better mental health, while other research suggests they have worse mental health. Some researchers have suggested that it may be more useful to investigate [...] Read more.

It is unclear how pet ownership is related to mental health, with some previous research suggesting pet owners have better mental health, while other research suggests they have worse mental health. Some researchers have suggested that it may be more useful to investigate the bond people feel with their pets and how this may impact mental health; however, this too has led to mixed results. This study examined how owners’ attachment to their dogs was associated with mental health and how this compared to their attachment relationships with other humans in a sample of 607 dog owners. Our findings indicate that both strong and insecure attachments to dogs are linked to poorer mental health outcomes, as was having an insecure attachment style in their human relationships. The adverse impact of strong attachment to dogs on mental health was mediated by these owners having an anxious attachment style toward other people, which in turn was associated with poorer mental health. The relationship between a strong attachment to dogs and poorer mental health was also moderated by gender, with this relationship being significant in women but not significant for men. Together, these results suggest a possible risk to mental health for owners who form a strong attachment to their dogs to compensate for anxious attachments in human relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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15 pages, 215 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Embodied Communication, Sensed Atmospheres, Joint Situations: Human–Horse Encounters from a Neophenomenological Perspective

by Robert Pütz

Animals 2024, 14(12), 1720; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14121720 - 7 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1320

Abstract

This article shows that the German philosopher Hermann Schmitz’s new phenomenology can make a valuable contribution to human–animal studies. The three concepts suitable for this purpose are, first, Schmitz’s concept of embodied communication, which can be applied to trans-species encounters; second, his understanding [...] Read more.

This article shows that the German philosopher Hermann Schmitz’s new phenomenology can make a valuable contribution to human–animal studies. The three concepts suitable for this purpose are, first, Schmitz’s concept of embodied communication, which can be applied to trans-species encounters; second, his understanding of atmospheres, which are always co-communicated in trans-species encounters; and, third, his conception of situation, which can help with analyzing the relationship of society to animals. My contribution applies these three basic elements of new phenomenology—embodied communication, atmosphere, and situation—to the analysis of the encounters between humans and horses. This paper demonstrates that embodied communication in particular is not only a worthwhile object of research but can also serve as a mode of producing scientific insight. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 2647 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Nay to Prey: Challenging the View of Horses as a “Prey” Species

by Netzin G. Steklis, Mateo Peñaherrera-Aguirre and Horst Dieter Steklis

Animals 2025, 15(5), 641; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050641 - 22 Feb 2025

Viewed by 727

Abstract

This paper challenges the prevalent characterization of domesticated horses as prey species that inherently view humans as predators. Drawing on evolutionary, ethological, and cognitive evidence, we propose the “mutualistic coevolution hypothesis”, which posits that horses and humans have evolved a partnership marked by [...] Read more.

This paper challenges the prevalent characterization of domesticated horses as prey species that inherently view humans as predators. Drawing on evolutionary, ethological, and cognitive evidence, we propose the “mutualistic coevolution hypothesis”, which posits that horses and humans have evolved a partnership marked by cooperation rather than fear. We critically assess the “prey hypothesis”, emphasizing a predator–prey model, which dominates equine training and the literature, and we argue that it inadequately explains horses’ morphology, behaviors, and cognitive capacities. Comparative studies on horses’ socio-cognitive skills suggest that domestication has fostered emotional, behavioral, and cognitive adaptations supporting a human–horse bond. This review examines evidence from archaeological findings and experimental research on horses’ responsiveness to human gestures, emotions, and social cues, underscoring their complex cognition and capacity for collaboration. Furthermore, morphological and behavioral analyses reveal inconsistencies in using orbital orientation or predation-related traits as evidence for categorizing horses as prey species. By emphasizing the coevolutionary dynamics underlying human–horse interactions, we advocate for replacing traditional training models centered on fear and submission with approaches that leverage horses’ mutualistic and social nature. This perspective offers insights for enhancing horse welfare and improving human–equine relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Research on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship)

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