Judith Ben-Michael Steinberg (2005) investigated how dog owners perceive and interpret problematic behaviors. The study first asked 35 dog owners to describe situations they considered problematic, resulting in 114 unique cases. These were classified into broad categories: aggressive behavior, disobedient behavior, and reactive behavior.
A second phase involved 102 owners sorting 39 situations into groups using Q-sorting. Analysis through multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster methods revealed six main categories of problematic behaviors: disobedient, aversive, aggressive, fearful, uncontrolled (excited), and mating-related.
Further cluster analysis grouped perceptions into eight clusters: The fearful dog, The aggressive/dominant dog, The ‘mating’ dog, The emotional dog, The bored/lonely dog, Eating habits, The unruly dog, and The disobedient dog. These results highlight that owner perceptions are structured, but also subjective, emphasizing the role of human interpretation in defining canine “problem behaviors.”
The study demonstrates that owner meaning-making plays a critical role in how behaviors are labeled and addressed, suggesting that education on behavior interpretation could improve owner-dog relationships and reduce frustration in training or daily life.
Source: Steinberg, J. B.-M. (2005). Dog owner in problematic dog-rearing situations: Techniques of disciplining behaviour. © 2000 International Society for Anthrozoology.
