"It's Okay He's Friendly": Understanding the Experience of Owning and Walking a Reactive Dog Using a Qualitative Online Survey.
A range of physical and emotional health benefits to people are reported to be associated with owning and walking a dog. However, the experiences of dog ownership are not always equivalent, and owners of reactive dogs may face additional challenges that could affect their experience of pet ownership...
| Published in: | Anthrozoös Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 379 - 401 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Ltd
Apr2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=176211215&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 176211215 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 08927936 GZF jtl: Anthrozoös issn: 08927936 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Apr2024 vid: 37 iid: 2 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd artinfo: ui: 176211215 10.1080/08927936.2023.2287314 ppf: 379 ppct: 22 formats: tig: atl: "It's Okay He's Friendly": Understanding the Experience of Owning and Walking a Reactive Dog Using a Qualitative Online Survey. aug: au: Hart, Carla J. King, Tammie affil: Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, UK su: United Kingdom Human-animal relationships Pets Service animals Dog walking Dog owners Internet surveys Research questions Dogs sug: subj: Human-animal relationships Pets Service animals United Kingdom All Other Animal Production Live animal merchant wholesalers Pet and Pet Supplies Stores All other miscellaneous animal production Dog walking Dog owners Internet surveys Research questions Dogs keyword: Behavioral problem dog behavior dog owner human–animal interaction (HAI) reactive dog Behavioral problem dog behavior dog owner human–animal interaction (HAI) reactive dog ab: A range of physical and emotional health benefits to people are reported to be associated with owning and walking a dog. However, the experiences of dog ownership are not always equivalent, and owners of reactive dogs may face additional challenges that could affect their experience of pet ownership. The aims of this qualitative study were to understand the lived experience of self-identified owners of reactive dogs, to identify key issues and themes that affect their daily lives, and to establish important future research questions. Thirty-seven UK residents completed an online survey containing 14 open-ended questions. Free-text responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five main themes were constructed: lack of understanding, situational control, learning and progress, guardianship, and emotions felt. The biggest challenge that all respondents reported was that other people did not understand their needs, which caused them to act, or their dogs to act, inappropriately. Other people's off-lead dogs were highlighted as being especially problematic, which sometimes brought owners into conflict with members of the public. On walks, many owners attempted to control the situation by avoiding places frequented by others or walking at antisocial times. The emotions most commonly expressed regarding walking a reactive dog were stress and anxiety. These results suggest that self-identified owners of reactive dogs experience a number of challenges, particularly related to walking their dog, which negatively impact their experience of dog ownership. Suggestions about how the needs of reactive-dog owners and their dogs can be better catered for in society are highlighted, as well as strategies to improve awareness about reactive dogs and how other people can help them and their owners. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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