An exploratory model of dog disciplining

This study examines the possible relationships among dog owners' perception s of, and emotional and behavioral responses to, problematic situations inv olving their dogs, and investigates differences in these in different subgr oups of owners. The dominant sequence of the interaction is defined as perc eption-cognition-emotion-behavior with this study focusing upon perceptual, emotional and behavioral responses. Fifty-five dog owners were presented w ith 16 descriptions of everyday problematic situations with a dog, and were asked to record the degree to which they elicited emotions such as irritat ion, anger sorrow, and anxiety. They were further asked which disciplinary actions they would use in each situation. The results form a general explor atory model of perceptual-emotional-behavioral responses, within which the two most significant sub-models were power assertion and encouragement/comf ort. Some gender differences in these models were also discovered. (C) 2000 International Society for Anthrozoology.