<p>Spotlight on the psychological basis of childhood pet attachment and its implications</p>

Abstract

Research suggests that humans can form strong attachments to their pets, and at least some pets display attachment behaviors toward their human caretakers. In some cases, these bonds have been found to support or enhance the physical and emotional well-being of both species. Most human–animal interaction research to date has focused on adult owners, and therefore less is known about childhood pet attachment. However, there is growing evidence that pets may play an important role in the development and well-being of children, as well as adult family members. Research conducted to date suggests that child–pet relationships may be especially impactful for children who do not have stable or secure attachments to their human caretakers. However, given that human–animal interactions, including pet ownership, can also introduce some risks, there is considerable value in understanding the nature of child–pet attachments, including the potential benefits of these relationships, from a scientific perspective. The purpose of this review is to provide background and a brief overview of the research that has been conducted on childhood attachment to pets, as well as to identify areas where more research would be beneficial.

Considering Family Dog Attachment Bonds: Do Dog-Parent Attachments Predict Dog-Child Attachment Outcomes in Animal-Assisted Interventions?

“…Dog-assisted interventions are among the most common AAI, likely due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, a dog’s accessibility, trainability, cost of care, and size ( Linder et al, 2018 ). Critical gaps in knowledge about factors that may lead to successful AAIs still exist ( O’Haire, 2017 ; Wanser and Udell, 2019 ; Wanser et al, 2019 ; Chitic et al, 2020 ). For example, little research has focused on the dog’s perception of, or response to, the human participant or the intervention experience.…”

“…This factor could play an important role in the efficacy of the dog’s performance in the intervention and have implications for the wellbeing of both the dog and the human. How the dog perceives and responds to the human participant may be especially important for AAIs designed for children, including children with disabilities ( Wanser et al, 2019 ). Animals, including dogs, have been known to respond in less predictable ways in the presence of these populations which can in some cases lead to increased risk ( Overall and Love, 2001 ; Yin, 2011 ).…”

“…Research has demonstrated that dogs can form attachment bonds to their human caregivers ( Topál et al, 1998 ; Palmer and Custance, 2008 ; Mariti et al, 2013 ) and humans can form attachment bonds to their dogs ( Barker and Barker, 1988 ; Cohen, 2002 ; Kurdek, 2009 ). Once established, these bonds have the potential to benefit both the animal ( Serpell and Barrett, 1995 ) and human with the strength and quality of attachment (e.g., attachment style) serving as predictive variables for health and welfare outcomes ( Garrity et al, 1989 ; Rooney and Bradshaw, 2002 ; Bennett and Rohlf, 2007 ; Meyer and Forkman, 2014 ; Wanser et al, 2019 ). Furthermore, it is possible that the influence of AAI’s conducted with a participant’s own pet could be impacted by the nature and strength of the pre-established bond between the participant and animal ( Wanser et al, 2019 ), or that participation in an AAI could alter the quality of the dyad’s attachment bond, potentially in both the AAI and home settings.…”

“…Individuals with insecure attachments are still bonded to their caretaker, but this bond does not as readily facilitate stress reduction or a return to normal behavior in novel contexts ( Bowlby, 1982 ; Ainsworth, 1989 ; Julius et al, 2013 ). There is currently some evidence that a dog’s attachment style toward their caretaker may influence their performance in AAI contexts ( Wanser and Udell, 2019 ; Wanser et al, 2019 ). For example, in one Animal-Assisted Activity (AAA) study, the attachment style between a trained therapy dog and their handler/caretaker was evaluated prior to a mock therapy session.…”

Students’ Care for Dogs, Environmental Attitudes, and Behaviour

“…Pets make children happy, reduce their loneliness, help to calm them [32] and increase their self-confidence [34]. Relationships between children and pets can be especially crucial for children lacking a stable or secure bond with their caregivers [35]. It is known that pet ownership correlates with certain positive physiological measures, such as lower blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and cholesterol levels [33].…”