Summary: New research finds that the way owners perceive their dogs—as friends, family members, or practical helpers—significantly shapes how they care for them. In an online survey of about 800 dog owners, people who treat their dogs like family tend to spend more time and develop closer bonds, while others focus on companionship or practical roles. The study also reports that these varied roles do not appear to harm canine welfare.
This shift in how dogs are viewed reflects broader social changes, including smaller family sizes and greater feelings of social isolation for some people. The research highlights complex and evolving human-animal relationships influenced by owner characteristics, dog breeds, and modern lifestyles.
Key Facts:
- Owners commonly see dogs as friends, family members, or practical partners, and these perceptions shape care and management.
- Younger owners are more likely to refer to their dogs as family or children and form stronger emotional bonds.
- Assigning human-like roles to dogs did not correlate with increased behavioural problems in this study.
Source: Eötvös Loránd University
What role do dogs play in today’s world? For many, they’re more than pets.
Researchers at the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University examined how owners describe their dogs and how those descriptions relate to daily management and canine behaviour. Rather than forcing respondents to select a single role, the survey allowed owners to attribute multiple social and practical functions to their dogs, such as friend, family member, child, companion animal, colleague, or security guard.
Most owners reported that they value physical contact with their dogs (97.6%), the “unconditional love” dogs provide (93.7%), the animal’s appearance (88.4%), and walking together (86.5%). Social benefits were more variable: about a third of owners greatly enjoyed the social interactions their dogs produced, while roughly a quarter did not consider that a benefit.
Using responses from nearly 800 Hungarian dog owners, the researchers identified three distinct owner profiles based on the roles attributed to their dogs. These profiles reflect both the emotional and practical ways people incorporate dogs into their lives.
The first profile includes dogs that serve dual functions—both practical (e.g., guarding, working) and social (close companion). Owners in this group often reported higher obedience, used positive reinforcement and professional training methods like clicker training, and frequently owned breeds known for working ability (for example, Border Collies, Belgian Shepherds, and German Shepherds).
A second profile, labeled “dog parents,” emphasizes human-like roles. These owners often keep dogs primarily indoors, treat them as family or children, and report very close emotional bonds. Common breeds among this group included Border Collies, Vizslas, Boxers, and Dachshunds.
The third group treats dogs mainly as companions. These owners tended to be older, spent less daily time with their dogs, and favored breeds such as the Mudi, English Cocker Spaniel, and Labrador Retriever.
To assess canine welfare, the survey asked about common behavioural problems. The most frequently reported issues were jumping up (33.2%), chasing animals (28.5%), territorial behaviour (26.7%), overexcitement (20.9%), and fear of new situations (19.4%). Despite differences in owner profiles and management practices, the study found no association between the roles attributed to dogs and the prevalence of these perceived behavioural problems.
In short, dogs fulfill a range of functions for their owners, from practical work to deep emotional companionship. The roles people assign to their dogs influence daily care decisions—where dogs live, how they are trained, and how much time they receive—but these variations did not appear to compromise welfare in this sample.
These findings suggest a generational shift: younger owners increasingly form strong emotional bonds with dogs and are more likely to describe them in family terms. The research method used here—allowing multiple, overlapping role attributions—captures the complexity of modern dog-human relationships and points to how social trends shape animal care practices.
Further research is needed to understand long-term consequences for both human well-being and animal welfare, and to explore how cultural and demographic differences influence these evolving bonds.
About this animal psychology research news
Author: Sara Bohm
Source: Eötvös Loránd University
Contact: Sara Bohm – Eötvös Loránd University
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. “The role of dogs is associated with owner management practices and characteristics, but not with perceived canine behaviour problems” by Laura Gillet et al., Scientific Reports.
Abstract
The role of dogs is associated with owner management practices and characteristics, but not with perceived canine behaviour problems
Owned dogs are increasingly regarded as family members, best friends, or even substitutes for children. While these roles have been linked to human well-being, less is known about how they influence owner behaviour and, by extension, canine welfare. An online survey of Hungarian dog owners (N = 790) investigated what owners value in their dogs and how social and non-social roles relate to owner and dog characteristics, management practices, and perceived behaviour problems.
Most respondents valued petting and physical contact (97.6%), unconditional affection (93.7%), the dog’s appearance (88.4%), and walking (86.5%). Common concerns included socialisation issues (20.4%) and lack of time (15.9%). Behavioural problems reported by owners included jumping up, chasing animals, territoriality, and overexcitement. Nearly a quarter rated their dogs as totally obedient; about 30.6% considered their dog totally safe off-leash.
Three owner profiles emerged based on attributed roles. Dogs combining companionship and practical functions (31.1%) were seen as more obedient and as providing greater safety. Companion-only dogs (19.4%) spent less time with their owners and had older owners. “Dog parents” (49.5%) were more likely to keep dogs indoors. Crucially, the roles attributed to dogs were not associated with higher rates of owner-reported behaviour problems.
The study concludes that while human-assigned functions for dogs affect daily management and living conditions, these differences do not necessarily undermine canine welfare in this sample.