Understanding Canine ‘Reactivity’: Species-Specific Behaviour or Human Inconvenience?

Stephens-Lewis, D., Johnson, A., Turley, N., Naydorf-Hannis, R., Scurlock-Evans, Laura ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9819-5031 and Schenke, K. (2022) Understanding Canine ‘Reactivity’: Species-Specific Behaviour or Human Inconvenience? Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. pp. 1-15. ISSN Print: 1088-8705; Electronic: 1532-7604

Abstract

Dogs are often referred to as “human’s best friend,” with many households in the United Kingdom and worldwide including a dog. Yet, whilst research highlights the myriad of human health benefits associated with canine companionship, many dogs are relinquished, or euthanized, for purported behavioral problems. A key behavior often cited in these situations is Reactivity, despite a lack of consensus in the literature (or in the lay population) as to exactly what is encompassed within this term. Resultantly, this paper reports on an online survey to investigate how the term Reactivity is understood by humans. Following the completion of a thematic analysis, six sub-themes were developed, forming three overarching theme clusters, namely; Canine Characteristics, The Importance of Human Perception and Human Capability. In sum, this research highlights the complex, nuanced and, sometimes, contradictory nature of understanding around the label of Reactivity, encompassing both canine and human factors. As such, conclusions include the proposal of a preliminary Perceived Reactivity Framework to conceptualize this seemingly multi-faceted concept.

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