Published in Animals, this study by Amber D. Carroll, Alissa Cisneros, Hannah Porter, Carly Moody, and A. Stellato examined how dog owners perceive 13 commonly used veterinary handling techniques across three behavioral contexts: when their dog is calm, fearful, or aggressive. Owner satisfaction is known to influence compliance with veterinary visits, making their perspectives a key component of improving canine welfare.
The online survey captured responses from 1,176 dog owners across Canada and the United States. Overall, participants strongly disagreed with restrictive techniques such as full-body restraint, muzzle holds, and dog masks, and strongly agreed with minimal restraint approaches—even when dogs were fearful or aggressive.
Regression analyses revealed nuanced influences of experience, attachment, and demographics:
• Owners with prior veterinary experience were more likely to support full-body restraint for fearful dogs and less likely to agree with minimal restraint.
• Owners with stronger emotional attachment favored minimal restraint, particularly for small dogs.
• Male owners were more likely to approve of full-body restraint for fearful dogs.
Importantly, the broad pattern of responses closely aligns with current low-stress handling guidelines, underscoring the value of gentle, minimally invasive techniques for improving both canine welfare and client satisfaction. The authors recommend that veterinarians continue to incorporate owner perspectives when shaping handling strategies, as doing so fosters trust, reduces stress, and encourages routine preventive care.
Source: Carroll, A. D., Cisneros, A., Porter, H., Moody, C., & Stellato, A. (2022). Dog Owner Perceptions of Veterinary Handling Techniques. Animals. Published May 27, 2022.
