[Truncated abstract] The Dogs and Physical Activity (DAPA) study sought to examine the relationship between dog ownership and physical activity, in particular walking. It used an ecological model to examine the socio-demographic, intrapersonal, social environmental, physical environmental and policy-related factors affecting dog owners walking with their dog. Results from this study are presented as a series of papers four which are published, in press or accepted for publication. A review of the dog ownership, health and physical activity literature and results from qualitative research of the potential barriers and motivators to dog owners being physically active with their dogs were used to develop and test an instrument for measuring dog walking behaviour. The DAPA tool was designed to measure the amount of physical activity people undertake with their dog and dog-specific individual and environmental factors affecting people walking with their dog. It was developed as a supplementary tool for the second RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) survey. RESIDE is a 5-year longitudinal study of the physical activity levels of people building homes in new housing estates in Western Australia. Findings from the baseline survey of 1813 RESIDE participants (44% dog owners) showed that dog owners were 60% more likely than non-owners to achieve sufficient physical activity and sufficient walking and almost 80% more likely than non-owners to achieve sufficient walking for recreation in the neighbourhood after controlling for demographic, intrapersonal and environmental differences. ... Findings from the DAPA study highlight the importance of the local policy and physical environment in encouraging dog walking behaviour. Perceived lack of accessible public open space (POS) and dogspecific exercise areas were identified by focus group participants as major barriers to dog owners walking with their dog. Objective measurement of the local physical environment of dog owners supported their concerns; no dog owners in this study had access to a sign-posted off-leash park [greater than or equal to] 2 acres within their neighbourhood. Furthermore, access to local POS with dog-supportive infrastructure was associated with being a regular dog walker. Overall, the results of this study draw attention to the needs of dog owners in the allocation and design of POS. The prospective component of the DAPA study enabled examination of the causal relationship between dog ownership and physical activity. After adjusting for baseline variables, dog acquisition significantly increased minutes of recreational walking within the neighbourhood by 37 minutes. However, after further adjustment for changes in baseline variables, the increase in minutes of recreational walking within the neighbourhood from dog acquisition reduced to 21 minutes and was no longer statistically significant. Increase in intention to walk appeared to mediate the relationship between dog acquisition and increased recreational walking. This study highlights a number of important physical activity benefits associated with dog ownership and provides evidence to suggest that dog walking has the potential to positively affect the proportion of the community who are sufficiently active.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-143). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how internal and external sources influence dog owners’ desire and intent to travel with their dogs, using the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). Specifically, this study investigates 1) the demographic profile of participating dog owners, 2) the relationship between dog owners’ Anticipated Emotions (AE) and their desire to travel with their dogs, 3) dog owners’ Attitudes toward the act (Aact) of traveling with their dogs and its relationship with their desire to travel with dogs, 4) the relationship between Subjective Norms (SN) and dog owners desire to travel with dogs, 5) owners’ Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) over their dog-accompanied travel situation, 6) the relationship between desire for dog-accompanied travel and Behavioral Intent (BI), and 7) the relationship between Past Behavior (PB) and the desire and BI regarding future travel with dogs.

Background: Numerous studies have found that there are many health-related benefits to owning a dog, however, this has not been investigated in a high dense Asian environment where the culture is very different to Western countries. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating 1) if dog-owners are more active than those who do not own a dog; 2) if dog-owners have higher perceived physical and mental health status compared to a sample of the population who do not own a dog; 3) are there social/environmental factors measured by the Dogs-and-Physical Activity (DAPA) tool that are associated with the perceived physical and mental health as well as physical activity (PA) habits of dog owners. Methods: A total of 102 Chinese dog-owners resident in Hong Kong were recruited to examine what factors might affect dog-owners to walk their dog regularly and hence likely to take part in more daily PA. All of these dog-owners were invited to complete a questionnaire that combined the DAPA-tool, Short-Form-12 health survey (SF-12), and the International-Physical-Activity-Questionnaire – short (IPAQ-short) and to wear an accelerometer for a week. Of the 102 recruited dog-owners, 52 had analysable SF-12 and accelerometry data that could be compared with similar data from 47 HK Chinese who did not own dogs. Linear regression was used to analyse differences between dog-owners and non-dog-owners and to examine social/environmental factors that contributed to physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) and accrued PA of the dog-owners; their living status, gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), income, education level and work status were adjusted during the analysis. Result: Compared to those without dogs, dog-owners were found to have higher PCS scores (P<0.001), involved in more moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA, P=0.02) and overall PA (OVPA, P<0.001) as measured by objective accelerometry; while no significant differences were seen in MCS, nor MVPA or OVPA as measured by the self-reported IPAQ. “Owning a dog adds to my happiness” was associated with having higher PCS (P=0.04); whilst “Trees and shrubs for dogs to sniff” (P=0.02), “Sitting areas with benches” (P=0.06) and “My enjoyment of being outdoors” (P=0.01) were positively related to MVPA as measured by IPAQ, whilst “My dog would be unfriendly or difficult to control” (P=0.02) was negatively related to IPAQ MVPA. Furthermore, “Signs to say if dogs are permitted” (P=0.03), “Trees and shrubs for dogs to sniff” (P=0.02), “The fact that I feel safe when walking with my dog” (P=0.02) and “It would keep my dog healthy” (P=0.04) were found to be positively related to OVPA as measure by IPAQ, whilst “My family commitments” (P=0.03) and “It would stop me feeling guilty” (P=0.03) were found to be negative related to IPAQ OVPA. No variables were significantly related to MCS among the dog-owners. Conclusion: Dog-ownership is associated with Hong Kong owners having a more active lifestyle and is related to higher perceived physical, but not mental health. A small number of social and physical factors appear important in providing a supportive environment that can help enhance the health benefits of dog-ownership. / published_or_final_version / Human Performance / Master / Master of Philosophy

Syftet med denna etnografiska studie var att få större förståelse för hur hundägare samspelar med sina hundar och hur de tillskriver könsroller på sina hundar i sociala interaktioner. Studien baserades på deltagande observationer med hundägare och deras hundar när de besökte en hundrastplats i en medelstor stad i Sverige. Studien genomfördes med ett symbolisk interaktionistiskt perspektiv samt ett socialkonstruktivistiskt genusperspektiv där det hävdas att individen skapas genom sociala interaktioner. Resultatet visade att många hundägare har förväntningar på hur deras hundar skall uppföra sig efter mänskliga könsroller. Det var mer accepterat att en tik uppvisade ett stereotypiskt manligt beteende än att en hane uppvisade stereotypiskt feminina beteenden. De kvinnliga hundägarna tenderade att behandla sina hundar som barn, medan män tenderade att behandla hundarna som sina kompisar samt uppvisade en mer stoisk relation till hundarna. Studien visade även att hundägare gärna beskriver sina hundar i könade termer som bygger på mänskliga uppfattningar. Analysen koncentrerar sig på samspelet mellan hundägare och deras hundar för att öka förståelsen för hur hundägare tillskriver könsroller till sina hundar. / The purpose of this ethnographic study was to gain deeper knowledge of how dog owners interact with their dogs and how they ascribe gender roles on their dogs in social interaction. The study was based on participant observation with dog owners and their dogs when they visited a dog resting area in a medium sized city in Sweden. The study was conducted with a symbolic interactionist perspective, and from a social constructivist gender perspective, which states that the individual is created through social interactions. The results showed that many dog owners have expectations for how their dogs should behave according to human gender roles. It was more accepted that a female dog displayed a stereotypical male behavior than a male displaying stereotypically feminine behaviors. The female dog owners tended to treat their dogs like children, while men tended to treat the dogs as their friends and displayed a more stoic relationship to the dogs. The study also showed that dog owners happily describe their dogs in gendered terms, which are based on human perceptions. The analysis concentrates on the interplay between dog owners and their dogs to increase understanding of how dog owners ascribe gender roles to their dogs.

Stereotyper är vanliga sätt för oss människor att förenkla och underlätta situationer vi stöter på i vår omgivning. Trots fördelarna en förenklad vardag innebär kan stereotyper även innebära negativa konsekvenser, så som diskriminering eller utanförskap.  I denna studie undersöktes svenskars föreställning av typiska ägare till fem olika hundraser (labrador, pudel, pitbull, tax och chihuahua) med syfte att undersöka om stereotyper förekommer rörande svenska hundägare och om dessa stereotyper skiljer sig åt mellan hundägare och icke-hundägare.  Studien genomfördes med hjälp av en enkät som publicerades på det sociala mediet Facebook. 120 personer deltog i studien, varav 27 var män och 93 var kvinnor. Deltagarna var mellan 18 och 60 år gamla, med en medelålder av 29,6 år (Sd=9,6). Deltagarna fick besvara frågor rörande hur de föreställde sig typiska hundägare till de fem raserna, samt gradera hur väl de instämde med tolv påståenden avseende acceptans för stereotyper i allmänhet. I slutet av enkäten fick deltagarna även besvara bakgrundsfrågor rörande dennes kön, ålder, utbildningsnivå, om denne hade hund eller inte, samt vilken inställning denne hade till hundar i allmänhet.  Resultatet pekar på att det i mycket stor utsträckning finns gemensamma uppfattningar om hur ägare till olika hundraser ter sig när det gäller allt från frisyr till ålder. Det visade sig inte finnas någon större skillnad  mellan de två grupperna när det gällde stereotypt tänkande.  Avseende enkätdelen rörande acceptans för stereotyper visade sig deltagarna ha en relativt låg grad av acceptans, vilket är intressant eftersom de samtidigt uppvisade stereotypa tankesätt när de svarade på frågorna om de olika hundraserna.  Studien har visat att stereotypt tänkande mest troligen förekommer kring olika hundrasers ägare, att medvetandegöra stereotypers förekomst kan vara en viktig aspekt för att minska risken för ytterligare stereotyper. / Stereotypes are common ways for human beings to simplify and facilitate situations they face in their surroundings. Despite the advantages of simplyfied living, stereotypes could lead to negative consequences, such as discrimination or exclusion.  This study investigated Swedes ideas regarding typical owners of five different dog breeds (labrador, poodle, pitbull, dachshund and chihuahua). The aim of the study was to examine whether stereotypes exist regarding swedish dog owners, and if these stereotypes differ between dog owners and non dog owners.  The study was performed using a questionnaire which was posted om Facebook. 120 persons participated, 27 men and 93 women. The participants were between 18 and 60 years old (mean=29,6 Sd=9,6). Each participant was asked to answer several questions regarding their idea of typical dog owners of the five breeds, and then grade how well they agreed to twelve statements regarding acceptance of stereotypes in general. At the end of the questionnaire, the participant answered background questions such as age, gender, level of education, if they themselves were dog owners and their attitude towards dogs in general.   The results show that stereotypes exist in great extent regarding the appearance of owners to different breeds. There was not much difference between the two groups when it came to stereotypical thinking.  Regarding acceptance for stereotypes in general this study showed that the participants show a low degree of acceptance, which is interesting because they at the same time showed stereotypical thinking when they answered the questions about the different breeds.  This study has shown that stereotypical thinking most likely occurs regarding owners of certain breeds. To sensitize stereotypes occurrence may be an important aspect to reduce the risk of further stereotypes.

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-46). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Dog parks are the fastest growing type of park in U.S. cities; however, their increasing popularity has been met with increasing criticism of pets in public space. Dogs have shown to be a deep source of neighborhood conflict, and the provision of dog parks, or off-leash areas, is a seemingly intractable controversy for city officials. In 2003, Portland, Oregon established a network of 33 off-leash areas which remains the second largest both in count and per capita in the country. The purpose of my research is to understand the public debate over off leash dogs during the establishment of Portland's off-leash area network, and how dog parks relate to processes of demographic change. The analysis involved two phases. First, I conducted a thematic analysis of editorial perspectives published in the major local newspaper. Second, I conducted an exploratory spatial analysis of the distribution of Portland's off-leash areas and patterns of racial and economic change throughout the city from 2000 to 2015. Central to the debate are conflicting notions of responsible pet ownership. The notions of responsibility employed in the debate are primarily personal, yet the findings from my exploratory analysis of the relationship between dog parks and demographic change suggest a need to attend to notions of public responsibility. I recommend that future research, discussion, representations, and policy regarding dog parks consider the consequences of off-leash areas as amenities within the changing neighborhoods in which they exist.

Most philosophical discussions of moral consideration for animals focus on animals as a single category, neglecting to differentiate them by type or role (such as wild, domestic, laboratory, or companion). Moreover, the importance of the individual animal in terms of relationship to humans is de-emphasised. Animals should not be discussed as a monolithic group. In this thesis the dog is utilized as the paradigmatic animal to demonstrate that philosophical discourse on the ethics of consideration for animals must reflect the diversity present within the group labeled "animals". The major philosophical theories advocating moral consideration of animals are summarized, noting that all animals are discussed as one category. Anthropological evidence is provided to demonstrate the historical nature of the human-dog bond. The ethics of care provides the foundation for the claim that dogs have relational value and thus persons have the moral obligation to care for them. / Graduation date: 2004

Syftet med studien var att generera en förståelse för hur polisens NOS-projekt kan verka brottsförebyggande. Vi undersökte även hundägare som är delaktiga i projektet och deras inställning till att uppmärksamma och förebygga brott. Studien grundar sig i teorin om neighborhood watch, med delar av teorin om social kontroll samt rutinaktivtetsteorin. Utifrån sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med deltagare från Nospatrullen fick vi en förståelse för hur NOS-projektet fungerar brottspreventivt genom hundägares förmåga att uppmärksamma avvikande aktiviteter i sitt lokalområde. Resultatet visade att samtliga intervjupersoner hade en positiv inställning till NOS-projektet vilket vi anser kan ha bidragit till projektets möjlighet till att förebygga brott. / The aim of this study was to form a understanding for how a project by the police, the Nos-project, may work to prevent crime. We also examined dog owners that are involved in the NOS-project and their attitude towards crime prevention. The study is based on the theory of neighborhood watch and features the theory of social control and the theory of routine activity. Through six semi structured interviews we learned how the NOS-project may prevent crime through dog owners’ observations of unusual activity in their district. The results also show how all our participants had a positive attitude towards the NOSproject which we regard likely contributes to the projects ability to prevent crime.