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Study reveals insights into “parenting” style on dog behaviour
The team found that dogs with authoritative owners were most likely to have secure attachment styles.
Dog owners with high expectations tend to have more social and secure animals.

US researchers studying the impact of “pet parenting” styles on dogs have revealed specific cognition and behavioural patterns comparable to human parents and their children.

It is understood that parenting behaviour is an important factor in child development, including a child's mental health, social cognition, intellectual success and job performance.

In the paper published in the journal Animal Cognition, researchers examine, for the first time, how the quality of a human-canine relationship may influence a dog's performance on behavioral and cognitive tests. 

A total of 48 dog owners participated in the study, and each completed a 'pet parenting' style survey. From their answers, the owners were split into three categories, comparable to those used in human parenting research: authoritative (high expectations, high responsiveness), authoritarian (high expectations, low responsiveness) and permissive (low expectations, low responsiveness.) 

Next, the dogs participated in three behavioural tests evaluating attachment to their owner, sociability when a stranger is present, and ability to complete a puzzle game with different levels of help from their owner.

The team found that dogs with authoritative owners were most likely to have secure attachment styles, were highly responsive to social cues, and showed a preference towards their owner compared to a stranger. They were also the only dogs in the study to successfully solve the puzzle task. 

Compared to dogs in the authoritative group, dogs with authoritarian owners were more likely to have an insecure attachment to their primary caregiver. In the sociability test, these dogs spent more time attempting to get close to their owners than the strangers. 

Finally, dogs with permissive owners followed the social cues of a stranger but not their owner. These dogs spent a similar time with their owner, regardless of whether the owner was attentive, and were less persistant at solving a puzzle task.

Study author Monique Udell, an associate professor at Oregon State and an expert on dog behavior, said: “We found that pet parenting style does predict patterns of dog behavior and cognition. This an important finding because it suggests that dog owners who take the time to understand and meet their dog’s needs are more likely to end up with secure, resilient dogs.” 

Study co-author Lauren Brubaker added: “This research shows that the pet dog-human caretaker bond may be functionally and emotionally similar to the bond between a human parent and their child.”

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue reaches Wales for first time in 2025

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has revealed that bluetongue has been confirmed in Wales for the first time in 2025.

In their latest statistics, APHA records a total of 109 cases of BTV-3 or BTV-8 in Great Britain in the 2025-2026 vector season.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain this season is 107. This includes 103 cases within the England restricted zone and four cases in Wales.

There has also been two cases of BTV-8, which were both in Cornwall.

As a result of the cases in Wales, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is enforced in Monmouthshire. Animals can move freely under general license within the England Restricted Zone, however animals with suspected bluetongue must stay on their holding.

All premises testing positive for blue tongue can be viewed on this map.