ArticleScientific reports2020
A framework for understanding how activities associated with dog ownership relate to human well-being.
Article in Scientific reports, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers.
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Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed.
- (Self-)caring with companion animals: a qualitative exploration of how companion animals shape everyday practices of rest and relaxation.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2026Article
- An Idiographic, Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding Adolescent-Dog Relationships in the Context of Social Anxiety.Child & youth care forum · 2026Article
- Pet Ownership, Depression, Anxiety, Well-Being, and Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Exploring Cat-Human Interaction as a Psychosocial Resource in Autism and ADHD: Risks, Engagement, and Well-Being.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Bonded Green Exercise: A One Health Framework for Shared Nature-Based Physical Activity in the Human-Dog Dyad.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Dog Owners Exhibit Better Diet Quality but Similar Physical Activity Compared to Non-Owners: A Case-Control Study.Nutrients · 2025Article
- "My Little Son, My Everything": Comparative Caregiving and Emotional Bonds in Dog and Child Parenting.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- 'he's not just a dog… he's something bigger… my family.' A Qualitative Study on Dog Ownership and Emotional Well-Being.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between pet ownership and human well-being.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- An experimental study focusing on mindfulness to capture how our contacts with dogs can promote human well-being.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Short-term effects of pet acquisition and loss on well-being in an unbiased sample during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Perceived costs and benefits of companion dog keeping based on a convenience sample of dog owners.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Assessing client needs in community veterinary care: a case study from WisCARES.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Article
- Article
- Pet Attachment and Anxiety and Depression in Middle-Aged and Older Women.JAMA network open · 2024Article
- The Relationship between Canine Behavioral Disorders and Gut Microbiome and Future Therapeutic Perspectives.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Review
- Walking and Playing with the Dog to Improve the Physical Activity Level of Adolescents: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Owner expectations and surprises of dog ownership experiences in the United Kingdom.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2024Article
- Article
- Dog owner mental health is associated with dog behavioural problems, dog care and dog-facilitated social interaction: a prospective cohort study.Scientific reports · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
There is notorious inconsistency regarding mental health benefits of dog ownership, partially due to repeated cross-sectional studies comparing dog owners and non-owners, without taking into account the heterogeneity of dog-owner dyads, especially the activities with which the owners are involved. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive framework of the most important dog human related activities and their impact on owner well-being. Six focus groups with 35 dog owners were conducted, and their audio transcripts thematically analysed. Dog human related activities and themes of activities were linked to their reported changes in well-being through matrix coding. A framework of 58 dog human related activities linked with their specific hedonic well-being, life satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being outcomes was generated. Most activities were reported to improve owner's well-being, (e.g. human-dog tactile interaction increases owner's self-esteem), and a minority was mainly associated with negative outcomes. The richness of the framework presented in this study reinforces the importance of assessing dog ownership well-being outcomes based on specific dog human related activities with which dog owners are involved. This new and systematic investigative approach should decrease inconsistencies in the field and facilitate mental health interventions and study designs of a higher level of evidence.
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