Three Things to Know
Researchers conducted two surveys to explore whether the owner-dog relationship differs depending on the dog’s origin, but they found no significant differences between Canadian and non-Canadian dogs.
Rather than the dog’s origin or traits, the researchers found that owner characteristics, such as age, gender, and education, played a larger role in shaping how owners perceived their relationship with their dog.
This supports previous research suggesting that owner expectations greatly influence the owner-dog bond, underscoring the importance of education to set realistic expectations, especially for first-time dog owners.
The Full Picture
Every year, over a million dogs are brought into the United States, while the UK imports around 300,000 dogs for non-commercial purposes. Canada lacks exact import numbers, but worries about health risks from imported dogs have led to stricter import rules. Despite these discussions, there isn’t much research on how these problems affect the relationship between owners and their dogs. To fill this gap, researchers of the paper, “Investigation into owner-reported differences between dogs born in versus imported into Canada”, conducted two separate studies to find out how the origin of a dog (domestic or imported) affects the owner-dog relationship and the dog’s well-being.
Study One
Study 1 looked at different parts of the owner-dog relationship to see if dogs from outside Canada are more likely to suffer in their relationship with their owners, which can then affect the dog’s well-being.
Study Methods
In this study, researchers created a survey to collect information about dog owners and their pets, focusing on attributes that might affect their relationship. The survey asked owners about their age, education, gender, and family, as well as basic information about their dog, like age, where the dog came from, how they got the dog, and background as a puppy.
In addition, researchers inquired about seven different parts of the owner-dog relationship: behavior problems, care costs, how happy the owner is with the dog, training methods, the dog’s health, what the owner expects from the dog, and how attached the owner is to the dog. The survey included questions from established surveys called C-BARQ, MDORS, LAPS, and HAB, as well as original questions. The goal was to determine if imported dogs were more likely to experience poor owner-dog relationship outcomes compared to domestic dogs.
The survey was launched online in December 2019 and distributed to a paid panel of respondents in British Columbia (BC).
Study Results
Demographics
Of the 803 people who qualified to take the survey, 52% were women and 48% were men. Most people were between 36 and 55 years old (41%), followed by people between 56 and 79 (26%).
Most people who took the survey (937%) owned dogs from Canada. They mostly got their dogs from shelters (27%) or purebred breeders (26%). For the 58 people (7%) who owned dogs from other countries, most of them came from the United States, followed by South Korea and Mexico. These people also often got their dogs from shelters and rescues.
Effect of Dog Origin
This study wanted to find out if where a dog comes from (Canada or another country) affects the relationship between the owner and the dog. To do this, the researchers looked at different parts of the owner-dog relationship, including difficult behaviors, training methods, how much work it is to have the dog, and regrets.
Even though dogs from other countries might have challenging behaviors because of their different backgrounds, the study didn’t find big differences between dogs from Canada and dogs from other countries when it comes to difficult behaviors, how happy the owner is, or how attached the owner is to the dog. In fact, owners of dogs from Canada said they struggled more, had more regrets, used harsher training, thought their dog had more health problems, and expected more from their dogs.
One possible reason for these differences could be that owners of dogs from other countries, who often got their dogs from shelters or rescues, might have more selfless reasons for getting a dog. This could affect how they think about their dog’s role in the family. These owners might also care more about animal well-being than owners who got their dogs in Canada.
However, researchers cautioned that more research is needed to fully understand these findings, as the small sample size limits how widely the findings can be applied. The results are also different from what other studies have found, such as a study in Denmark that claimed dogs from other countries had more behavior problems than domestic ones.
Effect of Owner Characteristics
On the other hand, the study found that owner characteristics, such as age, education level, and gender, exerted a more significant influence on the owner-dog relationship than factors primarily attributed to the dog.
The study showed that older owners had fewer behavioral issues with their dogs, felt less burdened, and used harsher training methods less often. They were also more likely to seek professional or online help. Surprisingly, owners with higher education levels reported more struggles and regret in their relationships with their dogs, felt more burdened, and used harsher training methods. Male owners generally reported more challenges with their dogs, including difficult behaviors, greater struggle, regret, and lower satisfaction.
As this study did not delve into specific dog traits like breed or personality, it’s possible that both owner factors and dog characteristics are equally important for a successful relationship. The right match between a dog’s temperament and the owner’s preferences could significantly influence the quality of their bond.
Study Two
Study 2 sought to investigate how dog-related factors, such as breed, size, and age at acquisition, influence the owner-dog relationship. Breed can shape perceived behavior, thereby impacting training and care methods, while owner engagement may vary between small and large dogs.
Study Methods
Researchers devised this second survey to expand upon the findings of the first study, targeting British Columbia residents who currently own or have owned a dog or cat within the last five years. Conducted online nine months subsequent to the first study, the survey was divided into three sections: owner demographics, dog characteristics, and owner-dog relationship dimensions.
Owner demographic data included gender and age. Dog-related questions covered origin (Canadian or non-Canadian), breed, size (small, medium, or large), and the age at which the dog was acquired. The owner-dog relationship section concentrated on a few simple dimensions such as behavior issues, burden, attachment, training methods, and perceived health, with responses scored on a 6-point agreement scale.
Study Results
Most people who took the survey were women (60%) and were 55 or older (41%). Most owned dogs from Canada (87%) and small-sized breeds (35%). More dogs were purebred (55%), and most dogs were obtained as puppies (54%).
Among those who owned dogs from other countries, 70% were women, and 40% were 55 or older. Small dogs (43%) and mixed breeds were common, and toy breeds were the most common purebred type. Dogs from other countries were typically acquired as puppies (33%) or adults (33%), with a few obtained as newborns (13.9%). Most dogs from other countries came from rescue organizations or shelters.
Study 2, like Study 1, didn’t find any big differences in the owner-dog relationship between people who owned dogs from Canada and people who owned dogs from other countries. This goes against the idea that dogs from other countries might lead to worse relationships, as most owners reported positive relationships regardless of where their dog came from. This finding is different from warnings about dogs from other countries potentially having more behavior or health issues.
The survey results showed that women were more likely to get dogs from other countries, which could be because of how women choose to get dogs. However, this trend could be biased because there were more women in this study and other similar studies.
Dogs acquired as teenagers or adults were more likely to be from other countries, likely because Canadian import rules restrict the importations of newborns. Large dog breeds were less likely to be imported than small breeds, possibly because of the greater challenges of transporting larger dogs or different preferences among owners. Women and older people also tend to prefer smaller breeds.
Overall Summary
In recent years, people have become more worried about the increasing number of dogs coming into Canada from other countries. Two separate studies were done to compare dogs from Canada and dogs from other countries, focusing on the relationship between the owner and the dog, the dog’s health, and behavior problems. The results didn’t show any big differences between the two groups. Owners of dogs from other countries were just as happy with their dogs and didn’t report more problems with behavior or health compared to owners of dogs from Canada.
Both studies supported the idea that owner attitudes and expectations have a greater influence on the owner-dog relationship than dog characteristics. Owner-reported difficult behaviors were more closely linked to factors like age and gender, rather than the dog’s origin. This aligns with research suggesting that owner expectations can significantly shape their relationship with their dog, highlighting the need for better education to set realistic expectations, especially for first-time dog owners.
Additionally, female owners were found to be more likely to acquire non-Canadian dogs. Previous research showed that women tend to care more about animal welfare, are less likely to relinquish their dogs, and report fewer behavioral issues. This trend may explain why the source of the dog had little impact on the owner-dog relationship in the studies, as female owners, who are more tolerant of the challenges of dog ownership, were overrepresented among non-Canadian dog owners.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
Shelter Dogs > International Rescue > Occurences & Demographics
Year of Publication:
2022
External Link:
von Rentzell KA, van Haaften K, Morris A, Protopopova A (2022) Investigation into owner-reported differences between dogs born in versus imported into Canada. PLoS ONE 17(6): e0268885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268885