Table 5.
Summary of the main results obtained in the final model (Multinomial Log-linear model). This table compares each cluster to the two other clusters.
| Cluster 1 - Dog parents vs. other dog owners | Cluster 2 - Regard dogs as companion animals vs. other dog owners | Cluster 3 - Assign dogs a dual status vs. other dog owners | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Characteristics of the owner | Age (p = 0.001) | Older (more likely to be 40 years old or above) than other owners | ||
| Owners did not significantly differ in the following variable: parental status | ||||
| 2. Characteristics of the dog | Off-leash safety (p = 0.038) | Owners who regard dogs as companion animals were more likely to feel moderately safe with the dog off-leash compared to dog parents | ||
| Perceived obedience (p < 0.001) | More likely to have an obedient dog than other owners | |||
| Owners did not significantly differ in the following variables: sex of the dog; age of dog; source of acquisition of the dog; purebred status; age of the dog when training started; behaviour problems (fear, excitability, aggressivity) | ||||
| 3. Management practices | Housing of the dog (p < 0.001) | More likely to keep the dog indoors only than other owners | ||
| Use of positive reinforcement and professional training methods (p = 0.006) | More likely to use positive reinforcement and professional training than other owners | |||
| Inconsistency in the dog’s education (p = 0.048) | Less likely to experience inconsistency in the dog’s education than other owners | |||
| Time spent in the presence of the dog (p < 0.001) | Less likely to spend at least 3 h/day in the presence of their dog than other owners | |||
| Owners did not significantly differ in the following variables: active time spent with the dog; financial problems; problems to keep the dog while on vacation; education started late; socialisation problems; lack of time; impatience | ||||
| 4. Dog-owner relationship | Safety, house guarding benefit of having a dog (p < 0.001) | More likely to enjoy the safety/house guarding benefit of having a dog than other owners | ||
| Owners did not significantly differ in the following variables: relationship with other people; caring for someone, sense of responsibility; teaching, training | ||||