What kind of dog owner are YOU? Scientists say all pooch parents fit into three distinct categories

Dogs are often referred to as “man’s best friend,” but a new study suggests some owners may need to reconsider this nickname for their pet.

Researchers in Hungary surveyed 800 dog owners and found that they all fit into three distinct categories.

“Interestingly, although we collected data from online groups dedicated to family dogs, the owners were not all the same,” explained Laura Gillet, lead author of the study from Eötvös Loránd University.

“We found three different profiles of owners whose dogs played various social and practical roles.”

Owners of dogs classified as “colleague friendly” tend to see their pet as a co-worker and security guard, but they also have a strong emotional bond.

“Dog parents,” on the other hand, have a close humanoid bond with their pet and do not view them for their practical functions.

Meanwhile, the ‘companions’ keep the dogs primarily for company, but maintain an emotional distance.

So what kind of dog owner are you?

In Western cultures, many owners view their dogs as best friends, family members, or even “fur children.”

However, until now, there has been little research into this social trend and how it affects the daily lives of animals.

In their new study, the team set out to understand exactly what role dogs play in today’s world.

Around 800 owners were surveyed about their relationship with their pet, including what they like about it and the role it plays in their life.

The results revealed that almost all owners surveyed really liked the physical contact with their dog (97.6 percent), the “unconditional love” their dog gives them (93.7 percent), and the view and beauty of their dog (88.4 percent). .

However, other benefits were less unanimous.

For example, about a quarter (24.3 percent) of owners did not benefit from the social interactions generated by their dog, while 36.3 percent liked it a lot.

Based on the findings, researchers say all dog owners fit into three distinct categories.

For 31.1 percent of owners, dogs have a double function: practical and emotional.

These owners, known as “friendly colleagues”, usually have Border Collies, Belgian Shepherd Dogs or German Shepherd Dogs.

Next, the majority of owners (49.5 percent) have a close, human bond with their pet and do not view them for their practical functions.

These owners, known as “dog parents,” tend to have breeds such as Vizslas, Bocers or Dachshunds.

Finally, 19.4 percent of owners keep their dog primarily for companionship, but maintain an emotional distance.

These owners, known as ‘companions’, usually have Mudis, English Cocker Spaniels or Labrador Retrievers.

“As we previously assumed, several canine and human factors were associated with these three profiles,” said Professor Eniko Kubiny, head of the Department of Ethology.

“For example, dual-function dogs were perceived as very obedient and were trained with positive reinforcement and professional training methods such as clicker training.”

Researchers hope the findings will inspire more research into the complex relationship between humans and their dogs.

“Despite the general trend observable in Western countries, in which dogs are increasingly perceived as family members who provide unconditional love and support, this study highlights that not all dog owners are the same, even in a convenience sample interested in canine behavior studies. ‘ the researchers wrote in their study, published in Scientific Reports.

“Our results show that dogs can play multiple roles (social and non-social) simultaneously in their owners’ lives, highlighting the complexity of the dog-human relationship.”