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Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 25, No. 2, 247-266 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407507087958

Pet dogs as attachment figures

Lawrence A. Kurdek

Wright State University, larry.kurdek{at}wright.edu

Four samples of college students (N = 923) were used to address the extent to which pet dogs, relative to humans, exhibited features of an attachment figure and to identify characteristics of persons with strong attachments to their pet dogs. Dogs exhibited the feature of proximity maintenance as well as fathers and siblings did, and secure basis and proximity maintenance were their most salient features. Differences in the closeness of relationships with dogs versus humans were minimal for students with high levels of attachment to their dogs. Attachment was positively linked to involvement in the care for the dog, the extent to which the dog met needs regarding relatedness, owner traits of openness, and dog traits of energy and intelligence.

Key Words: attachment • pet dogs


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