"Like owner, like dog": correlation between the owner's attachment profile and the owner-dog bond

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 30;8(10):e78455. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078455. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

During recent years, several studies have revealed that human-dog relationships are based on a well-established and complex bond. There is now evidence suggesting that the dog-human affectional bond can be characterized as an "attachment". The present study investigated possible association between the owners' attachment profile assessed throughout a new semi-projective test (the 9 Attachment Profile) and the owner-dog attachment bond evaluated using a modified version of those used in studying human infants: Ainsworth's "strange situation". The findings represented the first evidence for the presence of a correlation between the owners' attachment profile and the owner-dog attachment bond throughout procedure and behavioural analyses involving controlled observations.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Human-Animal Bond*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.