Table 1.
Descriptive results from questions regarding owners and their dogs (N = 790), with percentage distribution across answer categories.
| Variable and associated question | Categorical variable labels | N | % | |||||
| 1) Characteristics of the owner | ||||||||
| Gender | Women | 700 | 88.6 | |||||
| Men | 90 | 11.4 | ||||||
| Age group | 18–30 years | 208 | 26.3 | |||||
| 30–40 years | 210 | 26.6 | ||||||
| 40–50 years | 234 | 29.6 | ||||||
| More than 50 years | 138 | 17.5 | ||||||
| Parental status: do you have children? | Yes | 280 | 34.8 | |||||
| No | 519 | 65.2 | ||||||
| 2) Characteristics of the dog | ||||||||
| Sex | Intact female | 98 | 12.4 | |||||
| Intact male | 120 | 15.2 | ||||||
| Neutered female | 326 | 41.3 | ||||||
| Neutered male | 246 | 31.1 | ||||||
| Purebred status | Purebred | 509 | 64.4 | |||||
| Mixed breed | 281 | 35.6 | ||||||
| Age of the dog (in years) | Mean age ± S.D: 4.99 ± 3.55 | |||||||
| Place of acquisition: where did you buy/adopt your dog? | Breeder (registered and non-registered breeder, puppy mill) | 337 | 42.7 | |||||
| Rescued dog (shelter, found on the streets, dog breed rescuers) | 260 | 32.9 | ||||||
| Other (from family/acquaintance, own breeding/born at my place, other) | 193 | 24.4 | ||||||
| Behaviour problems of the dog: how typical are the following behaviour problems for your dog? | Not typical at all (N, %) | Not typical (N, %) | I don’t know/I can’t decide/Neutral (N, %) | Typical (N, %) | Totally typical (N, %) | |||
| House training problems | 694 (87.8) | 54 (6.8) | 21 (2.7) | 13 (1.6) | 8 (1) | |||
| Escaping | 654 (82.8) | 69 (8.7) | 31 (3.9) | 28 (3.5) | 8 (1) | |||
| Compulsive behaviour (e.g. circling) | 642 (81.3) | 80 (10.1) | 32 (4.1) | 30 (3.8) | 6 (0.8) | |||
| Aggression to people | 565 (71.5) | 150 (19) | 43 (5.4) | 25 (3.2) | 7 (0.9) | |||
| Too much whining | 537 (68) | 159 (20.1) | 45 (5.7) | 39 (4.9) | 10 (1.3) | |||
| Chewing/Destruction | 538 (68.1) | 145 (18.4) | 50 (6.3) | 46 (5.8) | 11 (1.4) | |||
| Food/toy protection | 520 (65.8) | 125 (15.8) | 63 (8) | 68 (8.6) | 14 (1.8) | |||
| Rough play/Pinching | 477 (60.4) | 147 (18.6) | 68 (8.6) | 90 (11.4) | 8 (1) | |||
| Separation anxiety | 483 (61.1) | 132 (16.7) | 75 (9.5) | 73 (9.2) | 27 (3.4) | |||
| Faeces eating/Rolling in faeces | 472 (59.7) | 120 (15.2) | 64 (8.1) | 105 (13.3) | 29 (3.7) | |||
| Fear of other people | 416 (52.7) | 190 (24.1) | 64 (8.1) | 102 (12.9) | 18 (2.3) | |||
| Too much barking | 406 (51.4) | 181 (22.9) | 92 (11.6) | 81 (10.3) | 30 (3.8) | |||
| Hard (or impossible) to call back during walks | 363 (45.9) | 217 (27.5) | 108 (13.7) | 78 (9.9) | 24 (3) | |||
| Fear of other dogs | 338 (42.8) | 231 (29.2) | 102 (12.9) | 106 (13.4) | 13 (1.6) | |||
| Noise phobia | 395 (50) | 167 (21.1) | 80 (10.1) | 107 (13.5) | 41 (5.2) | |||
| Aggression to other dogs | 322 (40.8) | 234 (29.6) | 100 (12.7) | 113 (14.3) | 21 (2.7) | |||
| Overexcitement | 351 (44.4) | 161 (20.4) | 113 (14.3) | 111 (14.1) | 54 (6.8) | |||
| Fear of new things/situations | 261 (33) | 257 (32.5) | 119 (15.1) | 132 (16.7) | 21 (2.7) | |||
| Territorial behaviour | 390 (49.4) | 106 (13.4) | 83 (10.5) | 148 (18.7) | 63 (8) | |||
| Chasing wild/domesticated animals | 296 (37.5) | 155 (19.6) | 114 (14.4) | 151 (19.1) | 74 (9.4) | |||
| Jumping up | 265 (33.5) | 160 (20.3) | 103 (13) | 196 (24.8) | 66 (8.4) | |||
| Perceived obedience of the dog: how obedient do you think your dog is? | N | % | ||||||
| 1 - Not totally obedient | 175 | 22.2 | ||||||
| 2 | 425 | 53.8 | ||||||
| 3 - Totally obedient | 190 | 24.1 | ||||||
| Off-leash safety: how safe do you feel taking the leash off your dog on the street/public space/forest? | 1 - Not totally safe | 307 | 38.9 | |||||
| 2 | 241 | 30.5 | ||||||
| 3 - Totally safe | 242 | 30.6 | ||||||
| 3) Management practices | ||||||||
| Tools and methods used to educate the dog: what tools/methods do you use to train your dog? | Never (N, %) | I have used it (N, %) | Often (N, %) | |||||
| Electric collar | 739 (93.5) | 41 (5.2) | 10 (1.3) | |||||
| Spiked collar | 717 (90.8) | 58 (7.3) | 15 (1.9) | |||||
| Muzzle | 641 (81.1) | 130 (16.5) | 19 (2.4) | |||||
| Training hygienic pad | 612 (77.5) | 153 (19.4) | 25 (3.2) | |||||
| Isolation | 526 (66.6) | 247 (31.3) | 17 (2.2) | |||||
| Physical discipline | 494 (62.5) | 285 (36.1) | 11 (1.4) | |||||
| Cage/Room kennel | 491 (62.2) | 192 (24.3) | 107 (13.5) | |||||
| Clicker | 335 (42.4) | 207 (26.2) | 248 (31.4) | |||||
| Yelling | 176 (22.3) | 554 (70.1) | 60 (7.6) | |||||
| Dog trainer, dog training school | 173 (21.9) | 244 (30.9) | 373 (47.2) | |||||
| Leash | 52 (6.6) | 263 (33.3) | 475 (60.1) | |||||
| Reward with play | 31 (3.9) | 151 (19.1) | 608 (77) | |||||
| Food | 25 (3.2) | 136 (17.2) | 629 (79.6) | |||||
| Petting | 5 (0.6) | 72 (9.1) | 713 (90.3) | |||||
| Praise | 5 (0.6) | 52 (6.6) | 733 (92.8) | |||||
| Problems in educating the dog: what problem(s) have you had in raising your dog? | Never (N, %) | Sometimes (N, %) | Often (N, %) | |||||
| Housing problems | 735 (93) | 42 (5.3) | 13 (1.6) | |||||
| Family problems | 659 (83.4) | 111 (14.1) | 20 (2.5) | |||||
| Financial problems | 586 (74.2) | 175 (22.2) | 29 (3.7) | |||||
| Problems to keep the dog while on vacations | 580 (73.4) | 167 (21.1) | 43 (5.4) | |||||
| Education started late | 526 (66.6) | 152 (19.2) | 112 (14.2) | |||||
| Socialisation problems (it was difficult to find company for the dog) | 450 (57) | 179 (22.7) | 161 (20.4) | |||||
| Lack of time | 326 (41.3) | 338 (42.8) | 126 (15.9) | |||||
| Inconsistency in rules/education | 303 (38.4) | 390 (49.4) | 97 (12.3) | |||||
| Impatience | 220 (27.8) | 476 (60.3) | 94 (11.9) | |||||
| Start of the dog’s education: when did you start training your dog? | N | % | ||||||
| Before 8 weeks old | 61 | 7.7 | ||||||
| Between 8–12 weeks old | 330 | 41.8 | ||||||
| Between 12–16 weeks old | 101 | 12.8 | ||||||
| Between 4–6 months old | 82 | 10.4 | ||||||
| Between 6–12 months old | 68 | 8.6 | ||||||
| After 1 year old | 148 | 18.7 | ||||||
| Housing conditions: where do you keep the dog? | Indoors only | 269 | 34.1 | |||||
| Outdoor access | 521 | 65.9 | ||||||
| Time spent in the presence of the dog: how much time per day do you spend in the same airspace with your dog (so that your dog can come to you at any time)? | Less than 3 h | 86 | 10.9 | |||||
| 3–9 h | 222 | 28.1 | ||||||
| More than 9 h | 482 | 61 | ||||||
| Active time spent with the dog: exactly how much time a day do you spend actively with your dog? (walking, playing, etc.) | Less than 1 h | 127 | 16.1 | |||||
| 1–3 h | 543 | 68.7 | ||||||
| More than 3 h | 120 | 15.2 | ||||||
| 4) Dog-owner relationship | ||||||||
| Benefits derived from dog ownership: how much do the following give you pleasure and a good feeling when living with your dog? | None (N, %) | A little bit (N, %) | A lot (N, %) | |||||
| Safety, house guarding | 296 (37.5) | 278 (35.2) | 216 (27.3) | |||||
| Relationship with other people | 192 (24.3) | 311 (39.4) | 287 (36.3) | |||||
| Caring for someone, sense of responsibility | 22 (2.8) | 157 (19.9) | 611 (77.3) | |||||
| Teaching, training | 13 (1.6) | 162 (20.5) | 615 (77.8) | |||||
| The sight and beauty of the dog | 13 (1.6) | 79 (10) | 698 (88.4) | |||||
| Walking | 1 (0.1) | 106 (13.4) | 683 (86.5) | |||||
| Unconditional love | 1 (0.1) | 49 (6.2) | 740 (93.7) | |||||
| Petting, physical contact | 1 (0.1) | 18 (2.3) | 771 (97.6) | |||||
| Role of the dog: what role does your dog play in your life? | Not true at all (N, %) | Rather not true (N, %) | Neutral (N, %) | Rather true (N, %) | Totally true (N, %) | |||
| Assistance dog, guard-protection dog | 450 (57) | 87 (11) | 107 (13.5) | 94 (11.9) | 52 (6.6) | |||
| Colleague | 443 (56.1) | 91 (11.5) | 126 (15.9) | 79 (10) | 51 (6.5) | |||
| Child | 250 (32) | 96 (12) | 153 (19) | 151 (19) | 140 (18) | |||
| More important than any human | 115 (15) | 88 (11) | 209 (26) | 262 (33) | 116 (15) | |||
| Domesticated animal | 96 (12.2) | 78 (9.9) | 168 (21.3) | 148 (18.7) | 300 (38) | |||
| Friend | 8 (1) | 13 (1.6) | 59 (7.5) | 170 (21.5) | 540 (68.4) | |||
| Family member | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 24 (3) | 94 (11.9) | 670 (84.8) | |||