Published in PLoS ONE, this study by N. Dodman, D. Brown, and J. Serpell examines a large online sample of 1,564 dog owners. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing owner personality, depression symptoms, emotion regulation, training method use, and owner-reported dog behavior.
Regression analyses identified modest but significant associations between the use of aversive or confrontational training methods and a higher prevalence or severity of several canine behavior problems, including owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed aggression, separation problems, chasing, persistent barking, and house-soiling when left alone.
The study also found associations between particular owner personality profiles—specifically lower scores in Agreeableness, Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness—and increased rates of owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed fear, and urination when left alone in dogs.
A key question was whether these personality–behavior links operate through training choices. The authors found only weak evidence that punitive training mediated the relationships between personality and dog behavior. However, one strong effect emerged: men with moderate depression were more than five times more likely to use aversive or confrontational training methods.
The findings highlight complex, multidimensional interactions between owner psychology and canine behavior. While aversive training is associated with more behavioral problems, personality and mental health factors appear to influence dog behavior in both direct and indirect ways.
Further research is needed to clarify causal pathways, but the results underscore the importance of considering owner emotional well-being and training style when addressing behavior problems in companion dogs.
Source: Dodman, N., Brown, D., & Serpell, J. (2018). Associations between owner personality and psychological status and the prevalence of canine behavior problems. PLoS ONE. Published February 14, 2018. Authors affiliated with institutions in veterinary medicine, psychology, and applied animal behavior.
