PUBLISHED: Selection Factors Influencing Eventual Owner Satisfaction about Pet Dog Adoption

September 1, 2022 – The Center for Canine Behavior Studies, Inc. is proud to announce that the journal, Animals, has published their research paper titled, “Selection Factors Influencing Eventual Owner Satisfaction about Pet Dog Adoption”. The paper was written by the CCBS team of Ian R. Dinwoodie, Vivian Zottola, Karla Kubitz and under the leadership of President/CEO Nicholas H. Dodman.

The article focuses on the factors influencing a dog owners’ selection of their dog and examines the eventual outcome in terms of owner satisfaction and bonding with that pet. The study investigated how long the owners took to decide to adopt a dog, who their dog was adopted from, their primary motivation for adoption, a ranking of characteristics considered during the adoption process, and how satisfied they were with the eventual outcome. Participants (n = 933) completed an online questionnaire with responses representing 1537 dog/owner pairs.

When asked how this study topic came to be, CEO/President of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies, Dr. Nicholas Dodman had this to say, “Many adopters of dogs, either from shelters or breeders, set out with certain selection criteria in mind. The question is, how do these preferences affect ultimate satisfaction with their new acquisition? Are people satisfied with their new pet and does it match up to their requirements or preferences?”

CCBS found that consideration of a dog’s personality and behavior had a positive effect on eventual owner satisfaction. Owners who adopted a dog for companionship were more likely to be satisfied than owners compelled by any other motive. “The results of our study indicates that adopters should preferentially consider the personality and behavior of a dog rather than breed, age, and size. In other words, never judge a dog solely on its physical characteristics but rather focus most attention on its personality and behavior, the dog within so to speak.” Dodman remarks. “Shelters would be well advised to take note and advise potential adopters accordingly.”

Animals (ISSN 2076-2615) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal devoted entirely to animals, including zoology and veterinary sciences, published monthly online by MDPI. The full paper can be viewed here, at no cost: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/17/2264/htm

Contact:

Allie Tellier

Executive Director

allie@dogstudies.org

508-864-7857

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Center for Canine Behavior Studies, Inc. (CCBS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the well-being of dogs through research, education and support of canine behavior and the human-animal bond. The CCBS team, led by world-renowned Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman, discovers what behaviors lead to relinquishment and identifies ways to educate owners so that dogs and those who love them can live harmoniously. CCBS is a public nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization | EIN: 83-0908914