The nature of the relationship between companion dogs and their owners has important impact on the
effect of life for both dog and owner. Identifying factors that affect the dogeowner relationship will
assist the understanding of how the successful relationship is achieved and how the less successful
relationship is mended, with potential benefits for the welfare of both species. In the present study, we
investigated the effect of several dog and owner characteristics, including the personality of the dog, on
the dogeowner relationship as measured by the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS). Data
were collected by inviting owners of dogs that had been tested on the Danish Dog Mentality Assessment
(DMA) to answer an online questionnaire. We were able to match 421 owner answers with their
dogs’ DMA test results. The questionnaire consisted of the 28 items of the MDORS, as well as questions
about the owners and their dogs. Using factor analysis, 5 dog personality traits could be derived from
the dogs’ test results on the DMA. The predictive value of questionnaire-based owner and dog variables
and the 5 dog personality traits on the dogeowner relationship was tested using multiple linear regressions:
1 for each of the 3 subscales of the MDORS. Overall, the variables investigated only predicted
a small proportion of the variance in MDORS scores, and owner characteristics appeared to influence
the dogeowner relationship more than dog personality traits did. We found that children in the family
and using the dog only for company were negatively associated with the owners’ perception of the
relationship with their dogs. The only dog characteristics to predict the dogeowner relationship were
fearfulness and fear-related behavior problems.
The nature of the relationship between companion dogs and their owners has important impact on the
effect of life for both dog and owner. Identifying factors that affect the dogeowner relationship will
assist the understanding of how the successful relationship is achieved and how the less successful
relationship is mended, with potential benefits for the welfare of both species. In the present study, we
investigated the effect of several dog and owner characteristics, including the personality of the dog, on
the dogeowner relationship as measured by the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS). Data
were collected by inviting owners of dogs that had been tested on the Danish Dog Mentality Assessment
(DMA) to answer an online questionnaire. We were able to match 421 owner answers with their
dogs’ DMA test results. The questionnaire consisted of the 28 items of the MDORS, as well as questions
about the owners and their dogs. Using factor analysis, 5 dog personality traits could be derived from
the dogs’ test results on the DMA. The predictive value of questionnaire-based owner and dog variables
and the 5 dog personality traits on the dogeowner relationship was tested using multiple linear regressions:
1 for each of the 3 subscales of the MDORS. Overall, the variables investigated only predicted
a small proportion of the variance in MDORS scores, and owner characteristics appeared to influence
the dogeowner relationship more than dog personality traits did. We found that children in the family
and using the dog only for company were negatively associated with the owners’ perception of the
relationship with their dogs. The only dog characteristics to predict the dogeowner relationship were
fearfulness and fear-related behavior problems.
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