Y. Kimura, S. Totani, S. Kameshima, and N. Itoh (2023) investigated how owner demographics affect perceptions of potentially problematic dog behaviors. Questionnaires were distributed via seven animal hospitals to 133 owners in both urban Tokyo and rural Aomori, with 115 valid responses analyzed.
The researchers examined five major behaviors—destructive acts, nuisance barking, jumping on people, and hyperactivity—using a hierarchical multiple regression model to test the effects of location, age, and sex. Results showed distinct biases:
• Owners in rural Aomori undervalued destructive behavior but overvalued jumping on people.
• Senior owners tended to downplay nuisance barking and hyperactivity at home.
• Male owners undervalued destructive behavior when dogs were left alone.
These findings suggest that what counts as a “problem behavior” is not objective but shaped by the owner’s cultural and demographic background. The authors recommend that veterinarians and behavior specialists consider these biases during consultations and that future studies explore the cultural context behind such differences.
Source: Kimura, Y., Totani, S., Kameshima, S., & Itoh, N. (2023). Perception biases for problematic behaviors in dogs due to owners’ attributes. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 85, 763–771.
