Dataset Information

Dog Ownership and Walking: Perceived and Audited Walkability and Activity Correlates.

ABSTRACT: Few studies assess dog ownership and walking with both self-reported or perceived and audited or objective walkability and physical activity measures. Across two years, we examined both types of walkability and activity measures for residents living within 2km of a "complete street"-one renovated with light rails, bike lanes, and sidewalks. Audited walkability (Irvine-Minnesota Inventory) was more consistently related to dog ownership and walking groups than perceived walkability (Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Abbreviated). Self-reported leisure walking was much higher (289-383 min per week) among dog walkers than among other groups (100-270 min per week), despite no difference in accelerometer-measured light or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Furthermore, the most powerful difference between groups involved single-family detached home residence, which was much lower among non-dog-owners (44%) than among non-dog-walkers or dog walkers (81% and 70%, respectively). Given discrepancies across walkability and activity measures, we recommend future use of walkability audits and objectively measured physical activity over the current emphasis on self-report measures. We also urge greater attention to increased densities of housing, which may negatively affect dog ownership levels unless compensating supports for dog ownership and walking are created by public health messaging, dog-friendly policies, and dog-friendly housing and community design.

SUBMITTER: Brown BB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7068326 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dog Ownership and Walking: Perceived and Audited Walkability and Activity Correlates.

Brown Barbara B BB Jensen Wyatt A WA

International journal of environmental research and public health 20200221 4

Few studies assess dog ownership and walking with both self-reported or perceived and audited or objective walkability and physical activity measures. Across two years, we examined both types of walkability and activity measures for residents living within 2km of a "complete street"-one renovated with light rails, bike lanes, and sidewalks. Audited walkability (Irvine-Minnesota Inventory) was more consistently related to dog ownership and walking groups than perceived walkability (Neighborhood E ...[more]

PMID: 32098076

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Project description:Dog ownership satisfaction relates to the quality of life of both owner and dog, and when seriously compromised may even lead to dog abandonment. Knowledge on determinants of dog ownership satisfaction is limited, obstructing solutions for promoting satisfaction, and here we quantified causes making dog owners less than very satisfied with their dog. We focused on the owner perceived relationship with the dog, unwanted dog behaviour, and dog obedience class attendance. The study population included only few seriously dissatisfied dog owners, preventing discrimination of multiple levels below 'very satisfied'. Consequently, existing relationships in the entire population may have been missed or underestimated and the findings apply specifically to dog owners that are relatively contented with dog ownership. Nine hundred seventy-seven Dutch dog owners completed an online questionnaire and we found the probability of being very satisfied to associate with all three subscales of the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale. Most strongly with perceived costs of ownership and less so with shared activities between owner and dog, and perceived emotional closeness to the dog. Aggression and/or disobedience related directly to high perceived ownership costs and to an increased probability of being less than very satisfied. Interaction effects indicated that dog disobedience was less influential on ownership satisfaction at high levels of aggression. Surprisingly, dog ownership satisfaction was unrelated to dog obedience class attendance, raising questions about the effectiveness of these classes in establishing satisfying dog-owner relationships. Training aids used during classes could play a role here, as choke chain use associated with high perceived costs and increased probabilities of being less then very satisfied with dog ownership. Ownership satisfaction in relatively contented dog owners, seems more influenced by unwanted dog behaviour and perceived costs of ownership, than by perceived emotional closeness to the dog, shared activities and dog obedience class attendance.

Dataset Information

Dog Ownership and Walking: Perceived and Audited Walkability and Activity Correlates.

Publications

Dog Ownership and Walking: Perceived and Audited Walkability and Activity Correlates.

Similar Datasets

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