Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreClubsResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeClubsExplore
November 21, 2025AnimalsOpen Access

“My Little Son, My Everything”: Comparative Caregiving and Emotional Bonds in Dog and Child Parenting

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Authors

KUKata Mária Udvarhelyi-TóthISIvett SzalmaLPLóránt Pélyi

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Qualitative study explores caregiving and social relationships in dog owners, highlighting differences in parenting roles.

Key Points

  • This research aims to understand how dog-owning women perceive caregiving similarities and differences between dogs and children.
  • Conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 dog-owning women
  • Participants included 13 mothers and 15 childless women
  • Utilized thematic analysis to identify key themes
  • Both mothers and non-mothers viewed dogs as sources of joy and companionship
  • Childless women often regarded dogs as substitutes for children
  • Mothers cited greater responsibility in raising children compared to dogs
  • Dogs enhanced social interactions, while children imposed stricter routines

Cite This Study

Udvarhelyi-Tóth et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6924e3e6c0ce034ddc34eaebhttps://doi.org/10.3390/ani15233358
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1“She is Like a Sister to Me”: Children’s Lived Experience With Their Dog2024
  2. 2Four’s a Crowd? Attachment Styles in Childless Women and First-Time Mothers Toward Their Pet Dog2024 · 1 citations
  3. 3Parental Identity and Subjective Well-Being in Older Women: The Moderating Role of the Human–Dog Bond2026
  4. 4Exploring the Connection between Physical and Mental Health in Women and Dog Ownership2024 · 6 citations
  5. 5Three’s company? Examining the association between dog ownership and intimacy, jealousy, and satisfaction in romantic couples2025