The kind of dog it grows up to be is influenced by how you 'parent' it. An owner who is responsive to a dog's behavior is more likely to lead to a smart dog.
Children are influenced by parenting styles and choices. There is a relationship between owners and their animals.
The researchers recruited 48 dog owners and their pets, asking them to complete a pet parenting style survey before participating in three behavioral tests.
An animal behaviorist from Oregon State University found that pet parenting style predicts dog behavior.
It suggests that dog owners who take the time to understand and meet their dog's needs are more likely to end up with a dog that is secure and resilient.
Researchers put the dog owners into three different categories based on the initial surveys: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive.
There are three behavioral tests that cover attachment, sociability and problem-solving.
Dogs with authoritative owners had a higher rate of secure attachment than dogs with authoritarian or permissive owners. The authoritative group was the only one that could solve the puzzle task.
According to the study, children with authoritative parents are more likely to show secure attachment due to the consistent, reliable support they get.
Lauren Brubaker is a behavioral scientist from Oregon State University.
Why did the dogs with permissive owners respond to the stranger they were with but not their owner in one of the tests?
The study shows that there is a relationship between the approach we take as dog owners and the behavior of those dogs.
The researchers wrote in their paper that more research is needed in this area.
In the sample population, owner relationship quality was found to be a significant predictor of dog behavior.
The research has appeared in a journal.
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