What makes a good dog-owner team? – A systematic review about compatibility in personality and attachment
Yana Bender, Juliane Bräuer, Stefan R. Schweinberger
Abstract
Satisfying dog-ownership has shown to have physical and psychological advantages for humans, whereas dysfunctional ownership due to canine behavioural problems leads to growing numbers of the relinquishment of dogs. This systematic review investigates 29 studies with the aims to find out (1) What are determinants of a functioning and satisfying dog-owner relationship (2) how these are different to owners’ actual acquisition motivation (3) how relevant knowledge can improve future ownership. Aggregation of the included studies showed that individual personality and attachment aspects, as well as certain combinations of those, can impact ownership in negative or positive ways. Owners with the tendency to be highly attached and with an avoidant attachment style might represent a risk factor for a dysfunctional dyad. Compatible matches were reached via similar expressions on the traits warmth; sharing possessions and enjoyment of running outside. Furthermore, owners were compatible with dogs that possess higher expressions than themselves on the traits openness; agreeableness and neuroticism. While many studies have reported that cuteness and general appearance are among the most important purchase motives of owners, this review suggests that future owners should focus more on personality and attachment aspects in the acquisition process instead. Compatibility between owners and their dogs may help unfold advantages of dog ownership, and prevent canine behavioural problems and their adverse consequences.