Evaluation of association between retention in the home and attendance at puppy socialization classes
Licensed under
| Category | Journal Articles |
|---|---|
| Abstract |
Objective: To evaluate associations between retention of dogs in their adoptive homes and attendance at puppy socialization classes and other factors. Design: Epidemiological survey. Animals: 248 adult dogs that were adopted as puppies from a humane society. Procedure: Owners completed questionnaires regarding demographics, retention of the dogs in the homes, and the dogs' early learning events. Results: A higher retention in the homes was reported for female dogs and those that participated in humane society puppy socialization classes. The same trend was observed for dogs that wore headcollars as puppies, were handled frequently as puppies, were more responsive to commands, slept on or near the owner's bed, or lived in homes without young children. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Results suggest several practices that veterinarians may recommend to enhance the likelihood that puppies will remain in their first homes, such as enrolling 7- to 12-week-old puppies in early learning and socialization classes. The lower rate of retention of dogs in homes with children emphasizes the importance of helping owners develop realistic expectations, knowledge, and effective tools to manage interactions between their children and dogs. |
| Publication Title | Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |
| Volume | 223 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 61-66 |
| ISBN/ISSN | 0003-1488 |
| DOI | 10.2460/javma.2003.223.61 |
| Language | English |
| Author Address | Center to Study Human Animal Relationships and Environments, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. |
| Cite this work |
Researchers should cite this work as follows: |
| Tags | |
| Badges |
