Socialization Past and Present: Intergenerational Transmission of Parenting Behaviors in Multispecies Families

Animals are an integral part of the multispecies family, a new way of “doing family.” Understanding the intergenerational transmission of human–animal relationship practices is essential as animals become embedded in family life. Despite growing research on companion animals’ roles in child development, less is known about how parents’ approaches to integrating animals into the family are shaped and transmitted. Through semi-structured interviews, we explored intergenerational transmission of parenting behaviors in multispecies families. We identified four key ways that parents drew upon their own childhood experiences when raising their children with companion animals. Parents (1) emulated their own parents’ approaches; (2) diverged from their family’s approaches; (3) blended both emulation and divergence; and (4) faced clashing transmissions in parenting teams. Our study advances existing research by documenting how intergenerational transmission functions in socialization of children in multispecies families. Findings have implications for family therapists, veterinarians, and policymakers, among others who work with multispecies families.