The surveyed population is more precisely characterized as "this veterinarian's dog-owning clients," distinguishing it from the larger category of pet owners or dog owners in a general context. The survey aims to gather insights from individuals who share a specific relationship with the veterinarian conducting the poll.
The population of the survey conducted by the veterinarian is specifically limited to her clients who own dogs. The sample surveyed represents a subset of the veterinarian's overall clientele, focusing exclusively on individuals who are both clients of the veterinarian and dog owners. Therefore, the population under consideration is accurately described as "this veterinarian's dog-owning clients."
While the broader category of "dog owners" encompasses a diverse range of individuals, the survey's population is narrowed down to those who have a direct relationship with the veterinarian conducting the poll. These respondents are not merely dog owners in a general sense; they are clients of the specific veterinarian who initiated the survey. The inclusion criteria for the survey are twofold – respondents must be both clients of the veterinarian and owners of dogs.
The question probable may be:
A veterinarian polled her clients who own dogs as to whether or not they used dry food only for their dogs. Which of the following describes the population of this survey? dog owners this veterinarian's clients this veterinarian's dog-owning clients