Patterns and relationships around dog demographics, behaviour, and dog-human interactions

Davies, G (2026) Patterns and relationships around dog demographics, behaviour, and dog-human interactions. Masters thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

Preview

Text 2026daviesmphil.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

With approximately 13.5 million dogs as pets in the UK, dogs play a central role in many of our lives. However, dog ownership isn’t without its challenges. Undesirable behaviours, such as aggression, are present in approximately 80% of dogs and pose significant welfare issues. Understanding how these behaviours relate to dog demographics is essential for improving welfare, training strategies and legislation. These factors (dog behaviour and demographics) may also be related to how owners interact with their dogs. As play and training are fundamental to canine welfare, identifying how dog behaviour and demographic factors influence how owners play with/train their dog is crucial. A particular undesirable behaviour, dog bites, are an increasing public health concern and their likelihood is influenced by a multitude of factors. In aim of preventing dog bites, legislation was introduced to prohibit certain dog types, a decision likely driven by the mainstream media, which may adopt a narrative-driven approach.

This thesis explored the relationship between dog behaviour, dog demographics and how owners play with their dogs, by analysing questionnaire results from dog owners. Moreover, since articles on dog bites may influence dog-related legislation, it examined how variables related to dog bites are reported within newspapers and scientific literature within the UK.

Analyses of owner questionnaires revealed that whether a dog displayed potentially undesirable behaviour was related to certain aspects of demographics. However, aggression was not related to any demographics which suggests that dog bite related legislation focusing exclusively on breed is insufficient. It was also found that dog demographics predicted how often owners played with and trained their dogs, whereas behaviour did not. This may be because owners view play mainly as bonding or recreation rather than a tool for behaviour modification. Play frequency is likely influenced more by owner lifestyle factors than by the dog’s behaviour. In terms of media reporting of dog bites, no significant associations were found between media type and the reporting frequency of different variables, meaning that article types were equally as informative. However, potential associations were found between media type and whether prevalence/statistics and psychological impact variables were discussed. It was also noted that there was a lack of discussion of preventative measures which is missed opportunity to educate the public. Overall, this research highlights the complex interplay between dog demographics, behaviour, owner interactions, and public perceptions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Dog behaviour; Dog demographics; Human-dog interactions; Canine welfare; Dog bites; Breed-specific legislation; Play and training
Subjects:	K Law > K Law (General) K Law > KD England and Wales Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Biological and Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Date of acceptance:	22 January 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	5 February 2026
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2026 11:18
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2026 11:18
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00027979
Supervisors:	Bielby, J and De Marco, R
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27979

View Item