Strength of the human-animal bond among dog owners was investigated as a function of who chose to adopt a particular dog. Undergraduate students (129 women, 59 men) were presented an animal-bonding scale and questions relating to the acquisition of their dogs. Analysis indicated participants who had chosen dogs themselves or in conjunction with another scored higher on bonding with their animals than owners who reported that someone else had chosen their dogs. The findings underscore the potential problems in giving animals as gifts and the salutary consequences of personal involvement in pet selection.
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