Why can't I resist those "puppy dog" (or "kitty cat") eyes?

Why can't I resist those "puppy dog" (or "kitty cat") eyes?
Attachment theory has become widely used in research on human-animal interactions. However, most of this research has examined how individual differences in attachment affect how humans seek care and comfort from animals. The present article examines an additional component of attachment theory - the care component. Specifically, the goal of the study was to understand how individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance predict factors associated with pet obesity, including pet weight, body condition, daily treats, and daily interactions. An online survey with recruitment via social media captured the responses of dog and cat owners. As expected, all associations between owner attachment and factors associated with pet obesity were mediated by owner concerns that a pet might negatively evaluate them and the owner self-reported care and attention. That said, the results indicate that higher levels of attachment anxiety were associated with dog and cat owners who provided a greater number of daily treats and more daily interaction, and higher body condition for dogs. In addition, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with dog (but not cat) owners giving fewer treats and less daily interaction. Interestingly, despite these relationships, pet weight was not associated with attachment to the owner. Although the effects presented in this paper are relatively small, they are important.
These findings suggest that attachment plays a unique role in shaping the pet-caregiver relationship and influences several elements that contribute to pet obesity, particularly in dogs. As such, the findings may provide a new perspective on strategies to reduce pet obesity and provide a framework for future research on pet health.