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| Exploring the Factors Behind People's Preferences for Dog Head Shapes Through an Online Survey |
| Zsofia Bognar1,2, Yuri Kawaguchi3, Koyo Nakamura4,5, Eniko Kubinyi1,2,6. 1MTA-ELTE Lendulet "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, , Hungary; 2Department of Ethology, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, , Hungary; 3School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, , United Kingdom; 4Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Tokyo, , Japan; 5Faculty of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, , Austria; 6ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, , Hungary |
Despite numerous health issues, brachycephalic dogs enjoy global popularity. To better understand the factors behind this welfare crisis, we conducted an online survey (N=773) to assess people's preferences for various head lengths using slightly modified photographs of 14 mesocephalic mongrels. Those favoring shorter head shapes were more likely to lack dog-related expertise and value dogs' affection. Positive attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs correlated with a preference for photos displaying shorter heads. Those with a negative attitude who associated more health problems with brachycephalism preferred longer heads. Interestingly, knowledge about health problems did not differ significantly between positive and negative attitudes, although positive attitudes correlated negatively with advanced health or natural science education. Additionally, positive attitudes were associated with assigning human-like roles to their ideal dog. Results showed that the key factor behind people's preferences may be their deeper understanding of brachycephalism-related health problems. Also, brachycephalic enthusiasts may be more likely to anthropomorphize dogs. |