Because of the similarities in these relationships the close bond between dog and human has been compared to the emotional attachment between mother and infant, in a concept called Attachment Theory.
John Bowlby, a British psychiatrist, psychologist, and psychoanalyst, is credited as being the principal developer of Attachment Theory.
Mary Ainsworth, an American-Canadian developmental psychologist, created the “strange-situation” test most frequently used by psychologists and researchers to measure emotional attachment.
Attachment theory is an enduring psychological connection with a meaningful person that forms pleasure responses and provides security in times of stress. The quality of emotional attachment, usually with a maternal figure, has a critical effect on emotional and social development, positive functioning, and psychological well-being.
Infants undergo multiple stages of attachment with the primary initial attachment figure, whereupon they begin to also form bonds with additional caregivers, such as the father, older siblings, and grandparents.
Attachment depends upon the opportunity for attachment and quality caregiving. It is highly valuable toward achieving healthy psychological development. For instance, an infant separated from a maternal figure at birth and raised in an orphanage will likely have less opportunity to develop secure attachment than an infant raised in a typical maternal-child environment.
Yet, not all maternal figures are quality caregivers who respond rapidly, reliably, and kindly to the infant’s emotional and physical needs.
Bowlby’s Primary Attachment Styles
Bowlby described 4 primary attachment styles:
Secure attachment– occurs when the primary caregiver promptly, dependably, and sensitively provides physical and emotional comfort to the infant. The children tend to trust the caregiver, believe the caregiver will return to assist them, seek comfort from the caregiver as a secure base during times of stress, exhibit distress when separated from the caregiver, and exhibit pleasure upon the caregiver’s return.
From an overall psychological standpoint, the children are frequently secure, happy, and wiling to explore environments.
Ambivalent attachment– occurs when the primary caregiver inconsistently and unreliably attends to the infant’s physical and emotional needs, where she is at times responsive and at other times neglectful.
The attachment style may result from the parental style of interaction with the infant or from lack of schedule availability during times of need. The children tend to mistrust the caretaker, but feel severely distressed when the caretaker is absent and joyful upon the caretaker’s return. From an overall psychological standpoint, the children are disposed to anger, helplessness, passivity, and general insecurity.
Avoidant attachment– occurs when the primary caregiver is physically, emotionally, and/or operationally disengaged with the child or when the caregiver punishes or dismisses the child for seeking assistance or comfort from the caregiver.
The attachment style may result from the parent being raised in a neglectful or abusive household.
The children tend to avoid the caregiver and in the strange-situation test may show no preference between the caregiver or a stranger.
From an overall psychological standpoint, the children are disposed to anxiety, lack of exploration, and general emotional distance.
Disorganized attachment– occurs when the primary caregiver inconsistently varies in response to the child. The disorganized parent may at times be responsive and at other times nonresponsive or erratically respond with passivity, aggression, or fear.
The attachment style may result from similarly inconsistent treatment from parents. The children tend to avoid and resist the caregiver and exhibit disorientation and confusion.
From an overall psychological standpoint, the children are disposed to depression, anger, passivity, and/or apathy.
This enjoyable video provides a practical explanation of Bowlby’s attachment styles and their impact throughout a person’s social and emotional life:
The Benefits of Secure Emotional Attachment
Dogs behave similarly to children toward their mothers: owners are the preferred recipients of affiliative behaviors.
Owners can present a secure base for their dogs. There is evidence for an owner-specific secure base effect in dogs.
Dogs owned by “confident owners” were more likely to consider their owners as a “secure base” than were dogs owned by “non-confident owners.”
Dogs owned by confident owners applying a secure attachment pattern feel more secure when amidst the owner.
Therefore, such dogs have a high probability of engaging calmly and proximally with the confident owner, rather than defending aggressively when the dog observes the approach of an interloper. In comparison dogs owned by less confident owners or owners exhibit less secure attachment patterns.
Emotional Attachment and Pet Abandonment
The stats here are from this interesting article which discusses aspects of emotional relationship between anxious owners and their dogs . We also also discuss more below:
- 45% of dogs abandoned to shelters are less than 1 year of age and 60% are less than 2 years of age.
- 59% of abandoned male dogs and 51% of abandoned female dogs are relinquished without a neuter or spay procedure, whereas in the general population only 14% of dogs are kept intact.
- 22% of dogs are abandoned after less than 3 months of ownership, 49% after less than 1 year of ownership, and 62% after less than 2 years of ownership.
- 89% of persons abandoning a dog had paid less than $200 for the dog.
- 31% of abandoned dogs exhibited housebreaking problems.
- 35% of abandoned dogs exhibited chewing or other behaviors that caused property damage. • 21% of abandoned dogs frequently escaped the property.
- 29% of abandoned dogs were characterized as “overly active” most or all of the time.
- 30% of the abandoned dogs were characterized as fearful at least some of the time.
- 16% of abandoned dogs growled, hissed, or snapped at least some of the time.
- 11% of abandoned dogs fought with other dogs.
- 12% of abandoned dogs had bitten a person.
- 96% of abandoned dogs had not attended obedience classes or received professional training.
- Abandoned dogs were less likely than continued dogs to receive veterinary care.
- Dogs who were eventually abandoned were more likely than continued dogs to sleep outdoors.
- Abandoned dogs were more likely than continued dogs to be kept all day in a crate.
Dogs owned by persons considering them “social partners” and “meaningful companions” showed lower salivary cortisol levels than dogs owned by persons having a more distant relationship with their pets.
A lower level of salivary cortisol indicates a lower level of stress and a generally healthier animal, physically, physiologically, and psychologically.
Emotional Contagion, or How My Dog is Picking Up on My Feeling
Emotional contagion, a fascinating phenomenon, manifests when one individual’s emotions and related behaviors serve as a direct catalyst for similar emotional responses and behaviors in others.
This basic form of empathy, deeply rooted in our social dynamics, enables individuals to share and understand each other’s emotional experiences. The intricate process of emotional contagion is connected to facial mimicry and body language. But also the strength of a social bond is related to the intensity of mimicry. This social mimicry is not exclusive to humans but extends to dogs and other primates as well.
Humans and dogs actively partake in the intricate dance of emotional contagion. The close social and emotional bond commonly found between owners and their canine companions lays the groundwork for a shared emotional experience. So it’s natural to think that if a human owner exhibits a neurotic emotional state or behavior, it could influence their dog, inducing similar states of anxiety and associated behaviors.
It’s also positive. A comprehensive study revealed significant positive correlations between owners and their dogs across all five personality dimensions: neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness. This similarity persisted even when assessed by an independent peer, ruling out the possibility of mere self-projection by the owner. The findings strongly suggest that dogs mirror their owners in various aspects, creating an intriguing bond.
A portion of this effect may be attributed to the theory of similar attachment, a concept we’ll explore further. However, there are also acute and chronic environmental factors at play, contributing to the complex web of emotional contagion.
Emotional Attachment: General and Social Anxiety
The lifestyle, behavior and expression of a highly neurotic owner may contribute to the manifestation of neuroses, anxious behavior, and even aggression in their canine companion. General anxiety disorder, a commonly co-occurring mental health condition, is present with major depressive disorder, state anxiety disorders, and panic disorder. (not to mention generalised anxiety or substance abuse disorder).
The mannerisms of a human owner who is prey to social anxiety is apparent to the dog. Social anxiety disorder involves persistent fear or anxiety related to social situations, often accompanied by other psychiatric disorders.
Individuals grappling with social anxiety tend to avoid social interactions, affecting not only their interactions with people but also with other dogs and various environmental contexts. Unfortunately, this avoidance can hamper the essential early social exposure crucial for the emotional development of a young dog.
The Interplay Between Socialization and Emotional Development
In a study involving 6,000 pet dogs, social fearfulness of owners emerged as a key factor linked to poor socialization during puppyhood, infrequent participation in training, and limited engagement in activities.
Behaviors associated with general anxiety or social anxiety in humans, such as avoiding social contact and activities, are likely to hinder a dog’s emotional development, which encourages anxiety in the pet.
The impact of anxiety plays a big role in the relationship between anxiety, stranger-directed aggression, and dog-dog aggression.
Relationship Between Anxiety and Aggression
The emotional state of an anxious owner can contagiously spread to their dog, both chronically and acutely.
When individuals with general anxiety or social anxiety find themselves in social contexts, there’s an increased likelihood of responding with fear or even panic. Their dogs may develop a mirrored response, experiencing chronic and acute manifestations of anxiety.
Domestic dogs possess remarkable abilities to interpret human behaviors and expectations. Their responses to challenging situations are influenced by the support they receive from their owner. The emotional messages conveyed by an owner—whether happy or fearful—are discerned by dogs, influencing their reactions. Notably, dogs can socially acquire information from humans and mimic human actions, showcasing their adaptive nature.[19]
Examining data from English Cocker Spaniel owners revealed a significant correlation between owners of high-aggression dogs and specific personality traits.Owners of high-aggression dogs were more likely to exhibit tension, emotional instability, shyness, and undisciplined behavior compared to owners of low-aggression dogs.[20] Consequently, the anxiety or fear of an owner can be readily mirrored by their dog, impacting the target of the owner’s acute anxiety.
Despite feeling fearful, few owners desire their dogs to inflict harm on unsuspecting individuals or other dogs. However, the challenge is exacerbated by the likelihood that anxious individuals may be less inclined to enroll their dogs in training programs and may inherently struggle to manage their dogs effectively. Dogs owned by individuals scoring high in neuroticism were found to be less successful at operational tasks.[21] Effective obedience becomes crucial in preventing potential bites, especially when a dog enters a high-arousal state indicating impending or current aggression.
Contrary to the belief that anxious individuals wish to avoid bites in out-of-context situations, research suggests otherwise. A study concluded that individuals lower in agreeableness and higher in neuroticism actively preferred a dog perceived as aggressive.[22] Perhaps these individuals seek an aggressive dog for personal safety or to maintain social distance. Regardless, the presence of a neurotic owner increases the likelihood of the dog exhibiting anxiety and associated aggression, coupled with the owner’s reduced capability and, potentially, reduced desire to control the animal.