It's Okay He's Friendly: Understanding the Experience of Owning and Walking a Reactive Dog Using a Qualitative Online Survey

A range of physical and emotional health benefits to people are reported to be associated with owning and walking a dog. However, the experiences of dog ownership are not always equivalent, and owners of reactive dogs may face additional challenges that could affect their experience of pet ownership. The aims of this qualitative study were to understand the lived experience of self-identified owners of reactive dogs, to identify key issues and themes that affect their daily lives, and to establish important future research questions. Thirty-seven UK residents completed an online survey containing 14 open-ended questions. Free-text responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five main themes were constructed: lack of understanding, situational control, learning and progress, guardianship, and emotions felt. The biggest challenge that all respondents reported was that other people did not understand their needs, which caused them to act, or their dogs to act, inappropriately. Other people's off-lead dogs were highlighted as being especially problematic, which sometimes brought owners into conflict with members of the public. On walks, many owners attempted to control the situation by avoiding places frequented by others or walking at antisocial times. The emotions most commonly expressed regarding walking a reactive dog were stress and anxiety. These results suggest that self-identified owners of reactive dogs experience a number of challenges, particularly related to walking their dog, which negatively impact their experience of dog ownership. Suggestions about how the needs of reactive-dog owners and their dogs can be better catered for in society are highlighted, as well as strategies to improve awareness about reactive dogs and how other people can help them and their owners.

Automated summary

Owning and walking a dog is reported to have physical and emotional health benefits, but owners of reactive dogs may face additional challenges that affect their pet ownership experience. This study found that the biggest challenge for owners of reactive dogs is the lack of understanding from others, leading to inappropriate behavior from the owners or the dogs. Many owners try to control the situation by avoiding crowded places or walking at less popular times. Walking a reactive dog often causes stress and anxiety.