An Exploration of Dog Breeding Systems in Canada

This dataset was collected as part of a study examining the housing, management practices, and perspectives of dog breeders in Canada. The purpose of the dataset is to characterize variation in breeding operations, daily care practices, and breeder attitudes, with a particular focus on factors relevant to animal welfare, operational scale, and decision-making.

The dataset includes responses from a structured survey consisting of four main sections: Size and Management, Housing and Daily Care, Attitudes and Values, and Breeder Demographics. It contains a combination of quantitative and qualitative data types. Numerical variables include counts (e.g., number of breeding dogs, litters per year), percentages (e.g., proportion of buyers visiting facilities), and continuous or range-based responses (e.g., age at first breeding). Categorical variables capture discrete practices and characteristics such as housing type, breeding methods, record-keeping practices, and adherence to care standards. Ordinal data are derived from Likert-scale and ranking questions assessing perceived limitations, welfare priorities, and attitudes toward regulation and animal sentience. Additionally, several open-ended responses provide qualitative data on breeder perspectives, including perceived risks to dog welfare and mitigation strategies.