A Comparative Analysis of International Dog Owner Education Programmes.

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior and Welfare
• Human-Animal Interaction Studies
• Comparative Education Systems

Background:

• Dogs are increasingly viewed as relational partners, influencing owner well-being and daily life.
• Dog owner education is shifting from basic behaviorism to holistic approaches encompassing emotional and cognitive aspects.
• Limited international comparative research exists on the organization and institutionalization of dog owner education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comparatively examine dog owner education systems in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and Australia.
• To identify national patterns and shared components in dog owner education.
• To inform the development of context-appropriate frameworks, particularly for South Korea.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory comparative case study design.
• Document and content analysis of legal, policy, and institutional guidelines.
• Integration of within- and cross-case comparisons, informed by human-animal interaction and behavioral theories.

Main Results:

• Five core components of behavior change were identified: guardian responsibility/animal welfare, science-based positive reinforcement, early socialization/prevention, standardization/individualization balance, and emotional/relational engagement.
• Dog owner education systems share common elements despite national differences.
• These components support responsible guardianship and stable human-dog relationships.

Conclusions:

• Dog owner education functions as an integrated system across diverse sociocultural contexts.
• The identified components provide a foundation for effective and adaptable dog owner education programs.
• Further research can refine frameworks for specific cultural contexts, like South Korea.