Table 2.
Description of categorical questions concerning the dogs and their owners (N = 1,207), and percentage breakdown of the groups.
| Title and description | Categorical variable labels: | N | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age group | Group one: 1–3 years | 185 | 15.3 |
| Group two: >3–6 years | 251 | 20.8 | |
| Group three: >6–8 years | 191 | 15.8 | |
| Group four: >8–10 years | 202 | 16.7 | |
| Group five: >10–12 years | 170 | 14.1 | |
| Group six: >12 years | 208 | 17.2 | |
| Neuter status | Intact | 529 | 43.8 |
| Neutered | 678 | 56.2 | |
| Sensory problems | None | 980 | 81.2 |
| Vision and/or hearing | 227 | 18.8 | |
| Off-leash activity: how long does your dog walk/run around outdoors without a leash on a typical day? | Less than 30 min | 164 | 13.6 |
| 30 min−1 h | 269 | 22.3 | |
| >1–3 h | 367 | 30.4 | |
| >3–7 h | 165 | 13.7 | |
| More than 7 h | 242 | 20.0 | |
| Body condition score (BCS): what body shape does your dog have? | Thin (BCS 1–2) | 203 | 16.8 |
| Normal (BCS 3) | 784 | 65.0 | |
| Over-weight (BCS 4–5) | 220 | 18.2 | |
| Food: what food are you currently feeding your dog for its main meal? | Dry food only | 267 | 22.1 |
| Tinned &/or dry food | 147 | 12.2 | |
| Cooked food | 306 | 25.4 | |
| Mixed | 294 | 24.4 | |
| Raw meat | 193 | 16.0 | |
| Vitamins: do you give your dog vitamins or supplements? | Almost never | 328 | 27.2 |
| Rarely | 391 | 32.4 | |
| Often | 244 | 20.2 | |
| Regular (daily) | 244 | 20.2 | |
| Trauma: has the dog experienced a traumatic event, which could still have an effect on it? | No | 694 | 57.5 |
| Yes | 513 | 42.5 | |
| Health Problems: what kind of health problems does your dog have? | None | 479 | 39.7 |
| Tooth problems only | 182 | 15.1 | |
| Joint problems + tooth problems | 126 | 10.4 | |
| Joint problems only | 246 | 20.4 | |
| Other disorders | 174 | 14.4 | |
| Medication: is your dog currently taking any medication? | No | 1,021 | 84.6 |
| Yes | 186 | 15.4 | |
| Owner age | <29 years | 385 | 31.9 |
| 30–39 years | 343 | 28.4 | |
| 40–49 years | 253 | 21.0 | |
| >50 years | 226 | 18.7 | |
| Owner experience: how would you evaluate your experience with dogs? | Dogs are my hobby/profession and/or I am a dog trainer/breeder | 307 | 25.4 |
| I have had a dog before | 639 | 52.9 | |
| I had never had a dog before | 261 | 21.6 | |
| Other dogs in household: how many other dogs do you have living in your household? (Not including this one). | None | 433 | 35.9 |
| One | 474 | 39.3 | |
| Two or more | 300 | 24.9 | |
| People in household: how many people are living in the household? | One person (myself) | 141 | 11.7 |
| Two people | 503 | 41.7 | |
| Three people | 271 | 22.4 | |
| Four or more people | 292 | 24.2 | |
| Child: do you have a child/children living in your household? | No | 919 | 76.1 |
| Yes | 288 | 23.9 | |
| Age of the dog when arrived: the age of the dog when it arrived in the Owner's household | Less than 7 weeks | 265 | 22.0 |
| 7–12 weeks | 530 | 43.9 | |
| 3–12 month | 198 | 16.4 | |
| More than 1 year | 214 | 17.7 | |
| Get dog: how did you get your dog? | I found it/got it from a shelter | 340 | 28.2 |
| It was born at my place/bought it | 544 | 45.1 | |
| I got it as a present | 323 | 26.8 | |
| Where dog is kept: where do you keep your dog? | Outside/inside house with garden | 149 | 12.3 |
| In a fenced garden | 384 | 31.8 | |
| Urban/Suburban apartment | 674 | 55.8 | |
| Dog obedience tasks: which tasks can your dog reliably perform? (e.g., sit, lie down, come, fetch, stay, walk at heel, leave/drop it, watch me etc.). Open question. | Maximum a task | 151 | 12.5 |
| 2 kinds of tasks | 169 | 14.0 | |
| 3 kinds of tasks | 228 | 18.9 | |
| 4 or more kinds of tasks | 659 | 54.6 | |
| Play: on an average day, how much time do you or other people spend together with your dog in different activities? (Play, walking, training) | Less than 30 min | 122 | 10.1 |
| 30 min−1 h | 378 | 31.3 | |
| >1–3 h | 551 | 45.7 | |
| More than 3 h | 156 | 12.9 | |
| Commands: how many commands can your dog execute reliably? | <10 commands | 540 | 44.7 |
| 11–30 commands | 535 | 44.3 | |
| >30 commands | 132 | 10.9 | |
| Dog training activities: how many activities are you currently doing with your dog? | One activity | 385 | 31.9 |
| 2–3 activities | 527 | 43.7 | |
| 4 or more activities | 295 | 24.4 | |
| Time spent alone: how much time does your dog spend alone on an average working day? | None | 169 | 14.0 |
| 1–2 h | 276 | 22.9 | |
| 3–8 h | 594 | 49.2 | |
| More than 8 h | 168 | 13.9 | |
| Dog behavior changed: has your dog's behavior changed over the last 3 months? | No | 910 | 75.4 |
| Yes | 297 | 24.6 |