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Relationship between dog owner frightening behaviour and dog attachment security

Relationship between dog owner frightening behaviour and dog attachment security
Relationship between dog owner frightening behaviour and dog attachment security
The popularity of television dog trainers, who often use inhumane methods employing violence in behaviour modification, is worrying for many human/animal bond and welfare scientists. With this in mind, the aim of this study was to determine if owner frightening behaviour (FR) (Hesse & Main, 1996) predicted dog attachment security in Ainsworth et al.’s (1978) Strange Situation Test. Owner frightening behaviour (FR) is comprised of threatening, frightened, dissociative or disorganised behaviours. Owner (n = 52) FR behaviour frequencies (number of instances) and dog attachment behaviours (secure base effects, proximity seeking, comfort seeking, distress, latency to play/explore) were collected from video analyses. Four clusters (k-means Cluster Analysis) resulted: Secure (n = 15), Insecure/Anxious (n = 11), Insecure/Passive (n =15) and Avoidant (n = 11). The results found that 13 (25%) owners displayed FR behaviours: 4 threatening; 1 frightened; 6 dissociative; and, 2 disorganised. In a chi square analysis, the relationship between dog security and owner FR was significant, ?2 (1) = 3.78, p <.05. Dogs were 6.75 times more likely to be scored as Insecure (Avoidant, Passive or Anxious) in the Strange Situation if their owners exhibited FR behaviours than Secure. Owners of Avoidant dogs are five times, owners of Passive dogs 4 times, and owners of Anxious dogs 3 times more likely to use frightening behaviours than owners of Secure dogs. No owners of Secure cluster dogs used FR behaviours in this study. The results suggest that dog attachment insecurity is associated with the owner use of frightening behaviours. In contrast, attachment security is characterised by the absence of these behaviours. These results suggest that a strong dog/owner bond results from gentle, humane handling and that frightening or aversive interactions are more likely to produce dog avoidance and non-compliance as well as compromised welfare
dog attachment, strange situation test, human/dog bond, owner frightening behavior, aversive training, inhumane training
White, J.M.
d4a1f6eb-f555-41de-b545-f60c453da0c4
McBride, E.A.
8f13b829-a141-4b67-b2d7-08f839972646
Redhead, E.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df
White, J.M.
d4a1f6eb-f555-41de-b545-f60c453da0c4
McBride, E.A.
8f13b829-a141-4b67-b2d7-08f839972646
Redhead, E.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df

White, J.M., McBride, E.A. and Redhead, E. (2010) Relationship between dog owner frightening behaviour and dog attachment security.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

The popularity of television dog trainers, who often use inhumane methods employing violence in behaviour modification, is worrying for many human/animal bond and welfare scientists. With this in mind, the aim of this study was to determine if owner frightening behaviour (FR) (Hesse & Main, 1996) predicted dog attachment security in Ainsworth et al.’s (1978) Strange Situation Test. Owner frightening behaviour (FR) is comprised of threatening, frightened, dissociative or disorganised behaviours. Owner (n = 52) FR behaviour frequencies (number of instances) and dog attachment behaviours (secure base effects, proximity seeking, comfort seeking, distress, latency to play/explore) were collected from video analyses. Four clusters (k-means Cluster Analysis) resulted: Secure (n = 15), Insecure/Anxious (n = 11), Insecure/Passive (n =15) and Avoidant (n = 11). The results found that 13 (25%) owners displayed FR behaviours: 4 threatening; 1 frightened; 6 dissociative; and, 2 disorganised. In a chi square analysis, the relationship between dog security and owner FR was significant, ?2 (1) = 3.78, p <.05. Dogs were 6.75 times more likely to be scored as Insecure (Avoidant, Passive or Anxious) in the Strange Situation if their owners exhibited FR behaviours than Secure. Owners of Avoidant dogs are five times, owners of Passive dogs 4 times, and owners of Anxious dogs 3 times more likely to use frightening behaviours than owners of Secure dogs. No owners of Secure cluster dogs used FR behaviours in this study. The results suggest that dog attachment insecurity is associated with the owner use of frightening behaviours. In contrast, attachment security is characterised by the absence of these behaviours. These results suggest that a strong dog/owner bond results from gentle, humane handling and that frightening or aversive interactions are more likely to produce dog avoidance and non-compliance as well as compromised welfare

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White_IAHAIO_2010_-_Owner_FR_behaviour.doc - Author's Original
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Published date: 2010
Related URLs:
Keywords: dog attachment, strange situation test, human/dog bond, owner frightening behavior, aversive training, inhumane training

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 146137
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/146137
PURE UUID: 723862e0-f76c-49b1-988d-d73078cd00b1
ORCID for E. Redhead: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-1228

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Date deposited: 20 Apr 2010 15:37
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:44

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Contributors

Author: J.M. White
Author: E.A. McBride
Author: E. Redhead ORCID iD

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