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Perception of dogs' stress by their owners
... Mariti et al. (2017) found a higher incidence of calming signals between unfamiliar dogs, and de-escalation of aggressive behaviour in response to calming signals. Additionally, Mariti et al. (2012) found that an owner's ability to recognise stress in their dogs varied dependent on multiple factors. ...
... In this pilot study, the relationship of the human to the dog was unknown, however, it may be more likely that dogs and humans were familiar to each other, and possible that lack of understanding of the dogs' behaviour may have caused an escalation of the exhibition of calming and stress signals, evidence of altered emotional state, to familiar people. Lack of comprehension of canine behaviour by humans can cause feelings of discomfort, anxiety, fear, distress, and confusion in a dog, which may result in a fractured human/dog bond, welfare and possible behavioural issues for the dog, causes a lack of ability in the owner to act appropriately (Horowitz, 2009a;Mariti et al., 2012), and the possibility of a dog reacting defensively when communication fails. The high prevalence of videos in which stress-related behaviours were detected supports this view, although the expression of a specific behaviour may sometimes depend on the kind of interaction and/or other characteristics of the dyad engaging in it. ...
... Westgarth and Watkins (2015) suggest that dog-owners might need to believe that dog bite can happen to them, with their dog, that it may be significant, as familiar dogs tended to be excused and may not be included in dog-bite statistics (Overall and Love, 2001). Although Mariti et al. (2012) and Kuhne, (2016) advocate education, it may in itself not prevent dog-bite (Westgarth and Watkins, 2015). However, in a study involving veterinary students' interpretation of a safe proximity to simulated "aggressive" and "non-reactive" dogs, it was found that training increased recognition of dog behavioural signals (Oxley et al., 2024). ...
... Studies in the second category revolve around negative emotional sensitivity to sounds in dogs, more precisely, around environmental sounds that are likely to elicit stress, fear, or anxiety in dogs. These studies investigate the different physiological (e.g., cortisol level, heart rate, etc.) and behavioral signs (vocalizations, body movements, and orientation) of emotional sensitivity in dogs to sounds, the possible relationship between sensitivity and acoustics parameters, the effects of sensitivity to sounds on cognitive abilities and welfare, the nature and efficiency of chemical and behavioral treatments, as well as the appropriateness of owner reactions [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. With the exception of one study that involved several household sounds [26], the different studies cited focused on three sounds: thunderstorms, fireworks, and gunshots. ...
... These sounds actually had low sensitivity reports (i.e., between 2% and 5%). However, it is well established that owners tend to underestimate or miss signs of emotional sensitivity to sounds in their dogs-e.g., [32]. Table 2 lists the sounds that were reported at least once as stressful/fearful but were not on the list of 79 sound items of the survey for which recurrence was assessed. ...
... We just asked our participants to report for a large variety of sounds which their dogs were sensitive to. Many past studies involved either one or a small set of sounds and asked their participants to score the degree or describe the behavioral signs of sensitivity in their dogs-e.g., [23,26,32]. ...
Simple Summary
We proposed a descriptive model of the dog soundscape composed of 79 sounds classified into six categories. In a survey, 620 dog owners scored the recurrence of each sound, from never to daily, in their dog’s environment. The survey also revealed 25 sounds that are likely to elicit stress/fear, that is, negative emotional sensitivity, in dogs. The results indicate no beneficial effect of commonness and no deleterious effect of scarcity regarding sound events on sensitivity. For the sake of dog welfare, researchers, veterinarians, trainers, and owners may limit dogs’ exposure to the sensitive sounds identified in this study during their dog observations and dog–human interactions. A corpus of 84 sounds was spectrally analyzed. At the lowest sound frequencies, where canine hearing is poorest, negative emotional sensitivity was generally low. At the middle and high sound frequencies, sensitivity greatly varied across the sounds, which is incompatible with the general assumption. How emotional sensitivity relates to pitch and dog hearing sensitivity remains undetermined. We suggest that future behavioral audiometric studies may maximize the spectral spread of each sound while minimizing the spectral overlap between sounds to reduce both the testing duration and the risk of unintentionally targeting or missing frequency-dependent hearing impairments.
Abstract
While numerous dog behavioral studies use environmental sounds, the dog soundscape remains undescribed. We proposed a list of 79 sounds classified into six categories: Dog, Dog accessories, Human, city and vehicles, Garden, countryside and weather, and Household. In a survey, 620 dog owners scored the frequency of their dog’s exposure to, and thus, the recurrence of, each of the 79 sounds, from never to daily. The survey results also extended to about 25 sounds the number of acknowledged sounds that are likely to elicit stress or fear, that is, negative emotional sensitivity, in dogs. Sound recurrence and emotional sensitivity were not correlated, showing no beneficial effect of frequent exposure to, and no deleterious effect of scarcity of, sound events. We suggest that for the sake of dog welfare, researchers, veterinarians, trainers, and owners may limit dogs’ exposure to the sensitive sounds identified in the study during their dog observations and dog–human interactions. A corpus of 84 sounds was collected. The sounds were spectrally analyzed by determining their F0 and 10 dB bandwidth parameters. At the lowest sound frequencies, where canine hearing is poorest, negative emotional sensitivity was generally low. At the middle and high sound center frequencies/F0s, sensitivity greatly varied from lowest to highest, which is incompatible with both the general assumption and dog auditory detection thresholds. How emotional sensitivity relates to F0 (pitch) and hearing sensitivity remains undetermined. Finally, we suggest that future behavioral audiometric studies of dogs may maximize the spectral spread of each sound while minimizing the spectral overlap between sounds so as to reduce both the testing duration and the risk of inadvertently targeting or, conversely, missing frequency-dependent hearing impairments.
... Stress levels in pets can be assessed using various parameters, with physiological and behavioral indicators being the most commonly employed. In this regard, behavioral parameters, which, can be measured easily and noninvasively, are of particular interest since they are especially useful for identifying stress and subsequent welfare concerns in dogs [2]. ...
... Though the behaviors of dogs may be perceived differently by their owners and the type of perception may influence the owner's actual willingness to change those behaviors, it has been demonstrated that, among the behavioral categories, the aggressive canine behaviors were three times more likely to elicit an owner's wish to address them [8]. It is of paramount importance to acknowledge that a dog's behavior can significantly influence the dynamics of the dog-owner relationship, potentially leading to negative outcomes for both the animal and those around it [2]. In fact, it is estimated that up to 90% of dogs exhibit behaviors considered unacceptable by their owners, including noise sensitivity, fear, separation-related behaviors, inattention, aggression, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and compulsive behaviors [12]. ...
Early socialization and appropriate adoption time are key factors in shaping canine behavior and welfare. Stress and behavioral challenges are major concerns for owners, often leading to abandonment. Stress can be assessed through physiological and behavioral indicators, with behavior being a noninvasive and practical measure. Canine development includes critical sensitive periods, particularly the socialization phase (3–12 weeks), when puppies form primary social bonds and adapt to novel stimuli. Lack of positive experiences during this period can lead to adult behavioral problems like fear, aggression, or anxiety. This study analyzed the behaviors of 107 dogs adopted at different ages (≤1 month to ≥4 months) and from varied origin contexts (shelters, breeders, private). Using the validated C-BARQ tool, the research found that the age at adoption significantly influenced behavior, with puppies adopted ≤1 or ≤2 months showing higher behavioral signs of fear, anxiety, and attachment and attention-seeking tendencies compared to those adopted later. The findings highlight the importance of socialization and appropriate adoption timing to prevent behavioral issues. The study underscores the value of educating owners and shelters about expected behavioral changes and the benefits of professional behavioral assessments. By fostering realistic expectations and proactive interventions, these insights aim to improve canine welfare and reduce abandonment rates.
... Achieving the goal of identifying and reducing these loads requires measuring and quantifying the level of stress. The ability of the owner / handler to recognize the behavioral signs of stress is important, as it allows them to help the animal and avoid stressful situations, and promotes a rapid recovery of psychophysical homeostasis by interrupting the progression towards overload and discomfort ( Mariti et al., 2012). The more time people spend observing their dogs and the more different the contexts in which such observations occur, the more accurate the assessment of their well-being will be (Rooney et al., 2009). ...
... For behavioural measurements, questionnaires have been used, potentially having a wide applicability in measuring stress levels in dogs, because owners know the behavior and personality of their dogs better than anyone else and can provide useful information through understanding displayed behaviors (Mariti et al., 2012). ...
The level of stress in Law Enforcement Dogs during work has already been the subject of several publications. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how the signs of stress occurred during the period of inactivity, i.e., during periods without work and after retirement. Several interesting aspects emerged from the questionnaires submitted to the conductors of the Dog Units, including the presence of slight /modest entity behavioural abnormalities and the underestimation of an adequate relationship of collaboration between some of the institutions interviewed and the professional figure of the veterinary surgeon expert in behavioural medicine.
... Despite nearly all participants had experience with owning pets, the results indicate that pet ownership alone is not sufficient to accurately interpret the behaviour of a particular species, and that fearful behaviour may be interpreted as relaxed [44]. This result is consistent with other studies that already found that owners frequently misunderstand their pets' behaviour [45][46][47][48]. It is evident that subtle signs of stress in dogs, like appeasement gestures, are often overlooked or misinterpreted [48]. ...
... This result is consistent with other studies that already found that owners frequently misunderstand their pets' behaviour [45][46][47][48]. It is evident that subtle signs of stress in dogs, like appeasement gestures, are often overlooked or misinterpreted [48]. Similarly, cat owners frequently fail to recognise important indicators of stress in their pets [45]. ...
Simple Summary
This study aimed to find out how animal videos on social media are perceived by users. Numerous seemingly funny animal videos contain animal suffering. The results of a large-scale survey conducted in this study confirm that animal videos are very popular on social media as participants of all ages and education levels already watched them. However, it seems that viewers often do not realise when animals express signs of stress or discomfort in such videos. Only 45.8% of the participants often noticed animal suffering in videos, while 31% recognised animal well-being. Furthermore, participants of the survey stated that they would like to receive warning labels on videos showing animal suffering. The study highlights the need to inform social media users about animal welfare and provides the basis for developing strategies to reduce the spread of videos showing animal suffering on social media.
Abstract
On social media, numerous animal videos are uploaded and viewed every day. However, these videos, which are apparently funny for humans, are often associated with animal suffering. In this study, 3246 participants of an online survey were asked about their personal perception of animal videos on social media, about recognising animal suffering in these videos, and about their respective reactions. A total of 98.5% of participants who used social media already saw animal videos. Participants most frequently viewed informative videos (52.9%), followed by funny/entertaining animal videos (41.8%). For 45.8% of participants, animal suffering was often recognisable in animal videos. Female participants were more likely to recognise animal suffering than male participants (p < 0.001), and participants living in a rural residence were more likely to recognise it than those from an urban residence (p = 0.017). Furthermore, 62.5% of participants had left a critical comment or disliked a video with animal suffering. Animal videos seem to be highly popular on social media, but animal suffering may go unnoticed in funny videos. The fact that 91.8% of participants want a warning label for animal suffering in videos shows that social media users would like to see animal welfare be given more prominence on social media.
... Over the past few years, the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related health issues in dogs has increased significantly, leading to a decline in their quality of life (Degeling, Kerridge, and Rock, 2013;Luno et al., 2018;Greenebaum, 2010). Moreover, research indicates that there is a lack of understanding among dog caretakers about certain aspects of their dogs' behavior, such as trainability (Mirko, Doka & Miklosi, 2013), play signals (Tami & Gallagher, 2009), emotional arousal (Kerswell, Butler, Bennett & Hemsworth, 2010), and acute stress (Mariti et al., 2012). Furthermore, a thorough survey conducted on dog owners has revealed that many of them overestimate their dogs' cognitive abilities (Howell, Toukhsati, Conduit & Bennett, 2013). ...
... Since dogs cannot communicate their needs and concerns verbally, their behaviors must be interpreted. Research demonstrates that humans often overlook minor indications of dog stress, even in their own companion animals (Mariti et al., 2012). ...
In the last ten years, wearable technologies for animals have become increasingly popular, and activity monitoring systems are one of the most commonly used types of technology. However, there is a limited amount of research on dog activity monitoring systems and their impact on the lives of caretakers and their awareness, despite the growing number of studies on wearable technologies for humans. This thesis aims to fill this gap by conducting a longitudinal study with 30 participants, exploring the dimensions of interaction with dog activity monitoring systems, caretaker personas related to the use of these systems, and their potential to contribute to the caregiving of dogs. The study involves participants using a specific dog activity monitoring device for six weeks, along with in-depth interviews, experience sampling method, and complementary questionnaires. The findings are used to develop the Dog Activity Monitoring Systems-mediated stage-based awareness model that explains how dog activity systems can mediate the human-dog relationship and support the caregiving of dogs.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The article presents the data on the research of biological effectiveness of two-component fungicides Altrum Super, SE and Alkor Super, SE in crops of winter wheat variety Alekseich in the phase of the end of earing - beginning of flowering in the climatic conditions of the Central part of the Non-Chernozem region. The field experiment was carried out in 2021-2022 at the All-Russian Research Institute of Agrochemistry named after D.N. Pryanishnishnitsky. D.N. Pryanishnikov, Agricultural Engineering Department, sod-podzolic-loam soil, 1st agroclimatic zone, Domodedovo Microdistrict, Moscow Region. Barybino. Combined systemic fungicides Altrum Super, KE and Alkor Super, KE with the same active substance, but different manufacturers and winter soft wheat variety Alekseich were the objects of research. The investigations were carried out by generally accepted methods. As a result of studies, it was found that the first manifestations of diseases in wheat crops were observed in the second decade of June. Depending on the date of registration, application of new generation fungicides in winter crops provided biological effectiveness against pyrenophrosis 62,1-84,5%, powdery mildew 63,1-83,3%, stem rust 63,0-83,0%, brown rust 65,3-84,0%, septoriosis 62,4-85,9% and yellow rust 62,7-81,4%. The maximum yield in the experiment was achieved with a single treatment of the crop fungicides Altrum Super, KE and Alkor Super, KE at a rate of 0.5 l/ha. In relation to the control, Altrum Super, SE (250 + 80 g / l) -0.4 l / ha, Altrum Super, SE (250 + 80 g / l) - 0.5 l / ha and Alkor Super, SE (250 + 80 g / l)- 0.5 l / ha allowed to increase the yield by 11.80%, 15.80% and 14.10%, respectively.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The high egg production and fast growth of the Japanese quail attracts a lot of attention to quail farming. This is ensured by the reproductive system of quails, which allows you to purposefully influence their productivity. However, the intensive feeding and rearing systems recently used in commercial quail farming are detrimental to the health of quails. The use of medicinal plants as effective natural growth stimulants can solve this problem, since this direction has found wide application in animal husbandry. This study is intended to determine the effect of an aqueous extract of chamomile on the reproductive organs of the Estonian Japanese quail breed (testes in males and ovaries in females). 40 Japanese quails (experiment-20 and control-20) took part in the experiment, the experimental group from the age of two weeks was fed this chamomile extract for four weeks (chamomile extract 3 ml/l together with drinking water). The results of the study showed that in the chamomile extract the total content of phenols is 108.92 µg/ml, the total content of flavonoids is 66.41 units. mol/ml, and the total antioxidant capacity is 1.77 ng/ml. Chamomile extract increased body weight, absolute and relative weight of reproductive organs, linear dimensions and shape index. Quail testes react especially effectively to chamomile extract, as for quail ovaries, no noticeable differences in their morphology were found.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The article presents materials on the effect of mineral fertilizers on the formation of corn grain when cultivated on chestnut soils in the Volgograd region. When corn is grown for grain, on the southern chernozems of the Volgograd region under irrigation, the limiting factor is the content of nutrients in the soil. This is evidenced by the high responsiveness of corn to the applied mineral fertilizers. Corn differs from most annual cereals in its thick stalk, tall growth and powerful large leaves. In the dynamics of nutrients, under corn crops, the following pattern was observed: the content of nitrates in the soil increased until the corn flowering phase, then it decreased due to their consumption during flowering and filling; the content of easily hydrolysable nitrogen increased in the soil before the isolation of the corn grain. The results of our research showed that corn is a very demanding crop for nitrogen. The daily need for nitrogen in the heading-flowering phase is about 1.6 kg. Half of the amount of nitrogen required was absorbed during the fundamental phase of corn growth and development. There were no distinctive features in the presence of available phosphorus in hybrid crops in the initial stages. The content of potassium in the soil in the post-harvest period in the variants without fertilization decreased by 2 times compared to its content before sowing, while in the variants with the use of specified doses of mineral fertilizers, this decrease was 24% on average for the variants. The purpose of the research was to substantiate the influence of agricultural practices, under conditions of regular irrigation against the background of the calculated background of mineral fertilizers, on the cultivation of domestic corn hybrids.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
In the Astrakhan region, for long-term saline fallow reclaimed lands in the rice engineering system, flushing is required when they are involved in an active agricultural turnover. In modern conditions, keeping the land simply under "water vapor" is ineffective, therefore, before growing crops, rice checks are used as fish ponds. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of the duration of the fish pond on the hydrophysical, agrochemical indicators of the soil, weediness and yielding capacity of crops in the rotation system during reclamation of the fallow. A one-year and two-year stay of a check under a fish pond contributed to an increase in the content of humus by 0,08-0,11%, organic matter by 0,44-0,53%, easily hydrolysable nitrogen by 6,1-9,2 mg/kg, mobile phosphorus by 9,3-16,4 mg/kg, mobile potassium by 5,4-8,2 mg/kg, moisture reserves in the soil by 1,9-2,5 times and reduced the weediness of barley crops with alfalfa overseeding by 6,5-10,9 times. Grain yield of spring barley variety AS Lacomb was 3,8-4,2 t/ha, green mass of alfalfa Nadezhda – 9,0-11,0 t/ha. A two-year-old pond as a predecessor for growing watermelon in the crop rotation created more favorable conditions for obtaining high-quality cucurbitaceous products, the average yield and marketability for varieties was higher in the mid-season group - by 3,3 t/ha and 0,7% and in the middle-late group – by 1,3 t/ha and 0,3% compared to a one- year pond as a predecessor. The content of dry matter and the amount of sugars exceeded the standards for all studied varieties of watermelon in two groups of ripeness. The largest amount of dry matter and the amount of sugars were found after a two-year pond for the watermelon variety Belye rosy and they were 12,15% and 10,08% respectively.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The soybean is an amazingly versatile crop, it is one of the most economically important leguminous crops, ranking first among them in the world in terms of cultivated areas. Edamame is a specialty soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) harvested as a vegetable when the seeds are immature (R6 and R7 stage) and have expanded to fill 80 to 90 percent of the pod width. Vegetable soybean is as nutritious as other soybean products, and a good source of protein, vitamins A, K and E, dietary fibres and ascorbic acid and its characteristic flavour is widely appreciated in Asia. Morphologically, edamame pods should have white pubescence, preferably sparse and soft; the hilum should be light brown or gray; the pods must have two or three seeds; most pods should be at least 5 cm long; days to R6 range from 77 to 93 days after sowing; 100-seeds weight of vegetable soybeans (230 g – 250 g); the pods should be completely green, with no hint of yellowing. The consumption of edamame can also really contribute to reducing nutritional deficiencies in people, through its great nutritional content and good health benefits. The variety of vegetable soybean varieties is significant in China, but not enough in other countries, they can vary in height and early maturity. Therefore, it is very important know which varieties are suitable for cultivation in different regions of Russia, what their vegetation period, nutritional value and productivity.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The presented article displays the materials of the energy feasibility of the cultivation of onions in the Lower Volga. The production of onion on irrigated plantations becomes possible by introducing more modern technological methods of cultivation into the technological scheme, where the issues of optimization and energy saving, water and nutrient regimes of the soil come to the fore. But in modern times, the vegetable direction in this zone has some difficulties when growing on drip irrigation. First of all, this is insufficient financing of irrigated lands in operation, a significant part of which has fallen into a dilapidated existence. Existing methods of irrigation (by furrows, sprinkling) entail large losses of water associated with evaporation during transportation to the place of cultivation of the crop, as well as at the time of application. In this regard, there is an urgent need, from an energy point of view, to switch to more energy-saving methods of irrigation, a typical representative of which is drip irrigation. In early 2000, drip irrigation began to be actively introduced into the fields of the Lower Volga region. This began to lead to a significant increase in the coefficient of rational use of the irrigated area. Therefore, in order to increase the efficiency of growing onion on irrigated plantations, it is necessary to widely introduce modern, latest technologies. In this regard, the developed energy methods of onion cultivation are of practical and scientific interest. The purpose and objectives of the research were to develop scientifically based water-saving irrigation regimes for the main vegetable crops in the conditions of chestnut soils of the Lower Volga region, due to a comprehensive assessment of modern methods of cultivation technology and in combination with differentiation of the depth of the moistened layer and the pre-irrigation moisture threshold during the growing season, would allow, along with with the use of calculated doses of mineral and water-soluble fertilizers, to obtain the planned yields with the rational use of material and energy resources.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
The high egg production and fast growth of the Japanese quail attracts a lot of attention to quail farming. This is ensured by the reproductive system of quails, which allows you to purposefully influence their productivity. However, the intensive feeding and rearing systems recently used in commercial quail farming are detrimental to the health of quails. The use of medicinal plants as effective natural growth stimulants can solve this problem, since this direction has found wide application in animal husbandry. This study is intended to determine the effect of an aqueous extract of chamomile on the biochemical parameters of the blood of Japanese quails of the Estonian breed. The experiment involved 60 Japanese quails (experiment-30 and control-30), the experimental group from the age of two weeks was fed this chamomile extract for four weeks (chamomile extract 3 ml/l together with drinking water). Using a universal analyzer, hematological (erythrocytes, hemoglobin) and biochemical parameters (total serum protein, albumins, globulins, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus, calcium, ALT, AST) were determined in the blood of experimental animals. The authors conclude that chamomile extract significantly increases the level of total protein and albumin, reduces the level of glucose in the blood serum of Japanese quails and can be used as a safe natural growth stimulant for Japanese quails.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
In the conditions of the Tersk – Sulak subprovincion of the Republic of Dagestan in the period from 2019 to 2021, field experiments were laid. The purpose of the research is to develop an optimal irrigation regime, as well as to identify the effectiveness of the use of the Albit growth regulator on crops of chickpea varieties Volgogradsky 10 (standard), Privo 1, Vega. As a result, it was found that the maximum leaf area on average for the studied varieties was observed under the irrigation regime, which provides for vegetation irrigation with a decrease in the pre-irrigation moisture threshold to 80% HB- 23.9 thousand m2/ha. This is more than the data of the control variant (60% HB) by 10.1%, and the variant with a pre-watering moisture threshold of 70% HB, by 5.3%. Under the irrigation regime with a threshold of 70% HB, the leaf surface was 22.7 thousand m2/ha, the excess with control was 4.6%. Approximately the same situation was also observed for other indicators of photosynthetic activity of varieties. Sufficiently high rates of photosynthetic activity of the varieties were noted during the pre-sowing treatment of seeds with the growth regulator Albit. Among the chickpea varieties studied, the maximum values of leaf surface area and net photosynthesis productivity were formed by the Vega variety. The greatest productivity of the chickpea variety was formed on the variant with a pre-watering threshold of 80% HB. The difference in the yield of the above varieties, compared with the variants 60 and 70% HB, was 34.4; 31.7; 34.5 and 16.8; 15.1; 18.8%, respectively. Of the growth regulators used, Albite turned out to be preferred, and of the studied varieties, Vega.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
Grain crops occupy a special place in agricultural production, which is due to their importance for humans. With population growth, the role of grain crops will only increase. In this regard, the problem of statistical assessment of production is still relevant. Knowing the production volumes and the factors influencing them, you can plan production and consumption. The object of the study was rye production in European countries. Rye is one of the most important agricultural crops. Cultivated much later than barley and wheat, it is of great importance for humans. It is used not only for grain production, but also as a fodder crop. The main research methods were static methods. Dynamics and structure indicators were calculated. A factor analysis of rye production in Eastern European countries was carried out. After analyzing statistical data for sixty years of observations and collecting data on the production of this crop in Eastern and Western Europe for the period from 1993 to 2021, we came to the following main conclusions. During the analyzed period, we note a decrease in the production of this crop. This reduction is caused precisely by a decrease in acreage, and not by a change in yield, the growth of which we are seeing. This suggests that production in European countries, where the main acreage of this crop is concentrated, is extensive. We associate the reduction in the acreage of this crop with the expansion of areas under wheat and triticale. Rye is being replaced in crop rotations. If the tendency to reduce the acreage of rye persists, then in the future this crop may completely disappear in Europe. The introduction of high-yielding sorts, the use of advanced techniques and production technologies can prevent this.
... Stress of our pets cannot be ignored because short-term (severe) stress can make our pet unhappy and scared, and long-term (chronic) stress can lead to serious health problems. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] showed that dog owners found it dif-ficult to correctly identify subtle behavioural changes that can be displayed in the earlier stages of emotional arousal (Kerswell et al., 2009) [15]. Recognising stress is not only important for the early detection of behavioural disorders and their prevention, but also for the safe handling and treatment of dogs. ...
... According to the discussion it is clearly depicted that dog owners from both countries need awareness programs about recognizing behavioural signs related to stress in dogs otherwise the more they ignore stress triggers, the more they tend to many mental health disorders. Mariti et al. (2012) [19] suggest that pet owners seek advice from veterinarians about signs of stress in their companion animals. Therefore, it is very important to advice dog owners through veterinary clinics by veterinarians. ...
With the growth of sown areas in the black earth zone of the Volgograd region, oil flax has become an alternative crop to sunflower, so it became necessary to study the technological methods of its cultivation in the conditions of the region's farms. The selection of modern highly productive flax varieties adapted to local soil and climatic conditions, new elements of cultivation technology, the use of highly effective herbicides, various forms, as well as the required doses of mineral fertilizers for planned yields, optimization of seeding rates are relevant at the present stage of development of agricultural production. Experiments with oil flax were laid in 2014-2016. on the southern black soil. In the experiment, the influence of pre-sowing treatment of seeds with disinfectants, with the introduction of specified doses of mineral fertilizers on the development of the crop by growth phases, as well as their influence on the structure of crop elements, was studied. The dynamics of the development of oil flax differed by years of research, development phases and depended on the forms of mineral fertilizers. So, in the “seedlings” phase, the indicators of the above-ground dry matter mass for three years on average in the control ranged from 0.05 to 0.07 t/ha, in variants with fertilizers from 0.07 to 0.14 t/ha. In the “herringbone” phase, the dry matter content increased by 2 times compared to the seedling phase, in the “budding” phase by 4.5 times, and in the “flowering” phase by 2.5 times in relation to the “budding” phase. Doses of mineral fertilizers influenced the structure of the crop, increasing the number of stems per 1 m2 up to 292...310 pieces, stem length up to 0.543...0.567 and 0.431...0.477 m, the number of bolls per plant up to 25.4...30.0 pieces, the number of seeds in a box and on one plant is up to 8.4 ... 10.0 and 226 ... 261.2 pcs. depending on experience. Seed yield on average for 2014-2016 without fertilizers was 1.37 t/ha, and in variants with fertilizers it increased to 1.5...1.68 t/ha.
... Additionally, aspects related to the owner should also be considered. For example, owners may not always recognize changes in their dog's behavior or may lack awareness of stress signals [96]. This highlights the complexity of establishing a reliable relationship between neutering and aggression, given the multitude of contributing factors. ...
The decision to neuter pet dogs remains a significant and ongoing debate from ethical, animal health, and animal welfare perspectives. Millions of dogs worldwide are considered integral family members, and their behavior, as well as the bond they form with their owners, play a key role in the decision to keep them as pets. When behavioral problems arise, neutering is often viewed as a potential solution. However, by removing the source of sexual hormones, neutering creates the potential for both beneficial and harmful effects on a dog’s health and behavior. It is crucial for society to rely on professionals to provide informed advice about whether and when the procedure should be performed on a pet, taking into account the unique risks and benefits of each individual case. Instead, the conclusions drawn from existing research—both in terms of behavior and health aspects—remain inconclusive and sometimes conflicting. Studies have reported higher risks for developing reproductive, urinary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal disorders in neutered dogs. Additionally, some studies suggest increases in stress, fear, anxiety, and even certain types of aggression following neutering. The limitations of current research, the subjectivity of pet owners’ evaluations of their dogs’ behaviors, the influence of various demographic factors, and the complex relationships between sex hormones and other hormones or neurotransmitters all contribute to the challenges in this field of study. Despite these complexities, they also offer promising avenues for future research. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various effects of neutering on dogs, with a particular focus on behavioral outcomes.
... Additionally, shelter staff may evaluate dogs differently than owners, interpreting and responding to similar items in ways that reflect different behavioral constructs. Rater effects are a known issue in animal behavior assessments, where varying interpretations can influence test scores (Bohland et al., 2023;Kerswell et al., 2009;Mariti et al., 2012;Shore et al., 2008;Tami & Gallagher, 2009). Griffin et al. (2024) found that the type of person conducting the assessment (owner, shelter worker, or researcher) influenced their scores, highlighting the need to account for rater differences in multi-rater studies. ...
Despite the multitude of studies on dog behavior using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), little is known about its utility in a shelter population. This study aimed to identify and validate a subset of items adapted from the C-BARQ to assess behavior in sheltered dog populations. All questionnaires were administered while the dogs were still in the shelter and were completed by shelter staff, volunteers, or members of the research team who had the most frequent interactions with the study dogs. Analysis included 445 questionnaire responses, one per dog, from 11 shelters. Exploratory (n = 222) and confirmatory (n = 223) factor analyses revealed a five-factor structure (Fear, Arousal, Human Excitability, Dog Aggression, and Human Aggression) comprising 24 items henceforth referred to as the Shelter C-BARQ. These factors exhibited above-threshold internal consistency reliability (M = .78) and meaningful inter-factor correlations, affirming their suitability for assessing the behavior of sheltered dogs. Furthermore, item response theory analysis underscored the reliability and validity of these items in measuring the underlying constructs. These findings can be particularly valuable for shelters facing resource constraints, offering both efficiency and validated data collection methods to collect behavioral information.
... While refusing to eat may be an indication of stress or poor welfare (Kartashova et al. 2021), it can also be associated with medical issues (Bourgeois et al. 2006). Owners identify reduced appetite as an indication of stress (Mariti et al. 2012), so being able to better prepare owners for this risk during the adjustment period is likely important. However, adopters should also be aware that this behaviour could result from an underlying medical condition, and thus they may need to follow up with a veterinary professional regarding potential medical concerns. ...
The adjustment period-wherein adopted animals transition to their new home-is a critical time for animal welfare and owner satisfaction, yet literature varies in estimates of how long this period lasts in dogs. This study sought to better characterise the adjustment period in relation to owner experience and canine welfare and clarify its duration as perceived by owners. We used a qualitative approach to examine owner perceptions of duration and their experience of the adjustment period. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic content analysis. Six themes were described: adjustment period duration; behavioural indicators during adjustment; behaviours indicative of adjustment; factors influencing adjustment; owner change in routine; and adjustment concerns. Over half of participants perceived the adjustment period to last longer than four months. Behaviours used by owners to assess dog adjustment included: moderation of behavioural extremes (e.g. lethargy and restlessness); play; tail wagging; greeting; and learning their routine. Owners reported that prior experiences and medical needs impacted the adjustment duration, that they adjusted aspects of their lifestyle, and raised concerns about being the right fit for their dog. Future research should incorporate a longer time-frame to better understand how and when dogs adjust to a home, and as there is variation in dog behaviour during adjustment, it must also account for individual differences. As we develop a better understanding of how to characterise this period, adopters can be better prepared for the initial months of dog ownership, and interventions can be individualised to improve owner experience and dog welfare.
... Research into Italian cat caregivers showed respondents had more difficulty identifying subtle negative cat responses, such as freezing and mydriasis, compared to more obvious negative responses such as excessive vocalisations and ears back (Mariti et al. 2017). Similarly, research suggests dog caregivers are better at identifying obvious negative dog responses that involve gross body movements such as trembling and whining, compared to more subtle signals, such as yawning and nose licking (Mariti et al. 2012). Given our results were not in line with current research, it is possible our participants were paying closer attention to the agonistic interactions, a psychological phenomenon known as negativity bias (Rozin & Royzman 2001), or perhaps those choosing to participate were more interested and knowledgeable regarding cat behaviour. ...
US and Canadian caregivers (n = 6,529) of two domestic cats ( Felis catus ) were recruited to participate in an online cross-sectional questionnaire to assess: (1) knowledge of inter-cat behaviour; (2) the frequency of positive and negative cat-cat interactions in the home; and (3) factors associated with positive and negative cat-cat interactions in the home. The questionnaire included ten videos (five negatively valenced, five positively valenced), in which participants scored: the overall cat-cat interaction; cat 1’s experience; and cat 2’s experience, using a Likert scale. Participants were also asked to report how often they see each interaction in their own two cats. Cat behaviour experts (n = 5) were recruited to rate their interpretations of the videos using the same Likert scale as the cat caregiver participants. Overall, our results suggest that overt positive interactions (allo-grooming, co-sleeping) were more likely reported if cat dyads were related or spent more time living together, were neutered males, indoor-only, and/or had a single feeding area. Overt negative interactions (fighting, striking) were more likely reported if dyads were older or had a larger age gap, showed animal-directed aggression, were declawed, and/or had a single litter-box. Participant versus expert ratings of the videos were similar, however caregivers reported certain affiliative behaviours more positively than experts. Caregivers appeared to have a good understanding of their cats’ overall relationship, as this aligned with reported cat-cat interactions. These results increase our understanding of the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households, which may be used to inform cat adoption strategies, in-home management, and promote a positive cat-cat relationship.
... Some authors underline the importance of owners being able to recognise behavioural signs of discomfort in their pets in order to handle them correctly [2,5]. In fact, negative interactions between the owners and their animals can lead to and perpetuate unwanted signs [2]. ...
This survey assessed the effectiveness of a combination of hydrolysed fish proteins and melon superoxide dismutase in reducing inappropriate behaviours in cats. Forty-eight privately-owned cats with abnormal emotional behaviour, as reported by their owners, were administered a complementary feed (Anxivet®, MP Labo, France) once daily for 28 days. Owners completed questionnaires before (D0) and after (D2, D7, D14, and D28) initiating the product, assessing animal behaviour, interaction with surroundings, and discomfort levels. They also evaluated product effectiveness, satisfaction, and ease of administration. By D28, 12 out of 24 behavioural signs showed improvement, with a significant decrease in excessive mewing (p = 0.0485). Enhanced interaction with surroundings was observed in 19%, 29%, and 34% of cats on D2, D7, and D14, respectively, with significant improvement from D2 to D14 (p < 0.025). Discomfort decreased in 23%, 30%, and 34% of cats on D2, D7, and D14, respectively, with a significant difference between D2 and D14 (p < 0.01). Owners rated product efficacy as 7.7/10 at D28, with satisfaction scores increasing from 6.4 at D2 to 7.4 at D14 (p < 0.0339). This survey suggests the tested combination reduces cats' discomfort levels, though further confirmation via controlled randomised studies is warranted.
... If fur biting is shown weakly or infrequently, caretakers may simply not recognize it. Studies of cats and dogs [79,80] have shown that only conspicuous, potentially disruptive, or frequent behaviors were perceived by caretakers as signs of stress. ...
For pet chinchillas, limited data are available on husbandry and the human–animal relationship despite their impact on health, behavior, and welfare. We conducted an online survey with pet chinchilla caretakers (n = 336), targeting husbandry practices, health, behavioral indicators of welfare, and human–chinchilla relationships. We further investigated associations between caretakers’ perceptions of stress in their chinchillas and emotional closeness to their animals. Basic needs such as keeping with conspecifics, constant access to water and hay, or offering dust baths were mostly fulfilled. Potential welfare issues included individual keeping (14.3%), undersized cages/enclosures (reported by 27.6% of the Austrian respondents), and suffering from a disease (14.7%). Behavioral indicators of good welfare, such as playing and cuddling with conspecifics, were observed several times per day by 40.9% and 87.9% of the respondents, respectively. Repetitive and unwanted behaviors were less common (fur biting, for instance, occurred ‘never’ in 82.9%). Caretakers rated their animals as generally more stressed if the animal was ill and more often showed fearful behavior toward them. Caretakers feeling closer to their animals spent more time engaging with them. Correct identification of this kind of association could be used as guidance for recommendations to improve chinchilla welfare at home and in the veterinary setting.
... The assessment of stress encompasses a range of physiological parameters, including heart rate, temperature, immune responses, and hormone levels measured in saliva, blood, and urine. Alternatively, the observation of canine behavior by researchers provides a less invasive yet informative avenue for stress evaluation (Mariti et al. 2012). Recognized behavioral indicators such as vocalization, yawning, a lowered posture, and panting are widely acknowledged manifestations of stress in dogs (Horwitz and Mills 2009). ...
The positive impact of essential oils (EOs) on stress release has been demonstrated in both humans and dogs. Among the EOs known for their anxiety-reducing properties, including Cananga odorata, Citrus aurantium, Cupressus sempervirens, Lavandula angustifolia, and Litsea citrata, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal concentration for efficacy. This exploratory study sought to investigate the effects of olfactory enrichment with a blend of these EOs on dogs introduced to an unfamiliar environment. The authors sought to determine the minimum concentration required to achieve increased relaxation. In a randomized controlled crossover study design, 54 dogs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, and 10 drops of the EO blend applied to their collars before entering an unfamiliar room with their owners. Behavioral observations were employed to quantify the total duration of activity and relaxation related behaviours for each dog under each treatment condition. A significant difference in panting was identified among the treatments (χ2(3) = 9.88; p = 0.020). Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed a significant reduction in panting during the 10 drops treatment compared to the control treatment (p = 0.047). No significant differences were observed for other behaviors. To provide a comprehensive overview of behavioral tendencies in this canine population, owners also completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), revealing low scores for anxiety in the study group. These preliminary findings suggest that a concentration of 10 drops of the EO blend on a dog's collar induces increased relaxation, specifically reflected in decreased panting behavior. Lower concentrations did not exhibit a significant relationship with the observed behaviors. These initial findings underscore the importance of exposing dogs to an appropriate concentration of EOs when exploring their potential benefits on welfare among dogs with low anxiety levels. Further research in this area is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of EOs for canine welfare.
... Dog owners can perceive, interpret, and relate the behavior to psychophysiological stress conditions. (1) Many studies have shown that dogs respond to human actions as a part of domestication. (2−5) Dogs transmit messages that can inform us about their emotional state because their facial expressions are instinctive reactions that express their feelings to others. ...
A dog's emotional state is communicated primarily through body language, readily observable by humans and other animals. Additionally, dogs express visual and auditory signals differently according to the situation they are experiencing. However, there is a need for more research on smaller breeds since they tend to display more behavioral issues than larger breeds. The objective of the present study was to identify the behavioral characteristics of 25 dogs of three different small breeds (Chihuahua, Toy Poodle, and Miniature Schnauzer) in a negative context. We used a web-based tool called the Dog Actions Video Annotation Interface (DAVAI) to evaluate the movements of the tail, legs, snout, and vocalizations when the dogs were exposed to unfamiliar people. Our results showed no significant differences in dog behavior associated with breed. However, we identified variations in dog vocalizations explained by the sex, with male dogs whining more frequently than females. We highlight the importance of understanding dog body language and vocalizations, regardless of their breed. Our study is particularly relevant in negative contexts, where dogs may exhibit distress signals that require prompt intervention to alleviate their suffering.
... Thirdly, the dogs' interactions with their owners and animal counterparts can be profoundly affected by these problems [5]. Therefore, some authors underline the importance for the owners to be able to recognise behavioural signs of anxiety or fear in order to avoid stressful situations [14]. ...
Complementary feeds are identified as an additional option to behavioural therapy and pharmacological treatments for the management of inappropriate behaviours in dogs. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of a combination of hydrolysed fish proteins and melon superoxide dismutase (Anxivet ® , MP Labo, France) formulated to reduce signs of fear in dogs. Fifty dogs were administered with the combination once daily for 28 days. Pet-owners completed a questionnaire before (D0) and after (D2, D7, D14 and D28) product administration. Results showed a significant improvement of 8 out of 24 behavioural signs (0.008 < p < 0.0425) and of the overall behavioural score (p = 0.0150) at D28 compared to baseline. The interaction with the surroundings and the inappropriate behaviours evolution were enhanced in more than 50% of the dogs as soon as D2 and continued to improve significantly over time (p < 0.05). Similarly, the owner satisfaction level was almost 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 at D2, and then significantly increased throughout the study period (p < 0.0259). In conclusion, this study suggests that the tested product demonstrates rapid beneficials effects on dogs with inappropriate behaviours, providing onset of activity to complete the previous data from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.
... To prevent emotional and physical diseases and increase dog's welfare, it becomes imperative to proactively help dealing with stressors in their living environments (Protopopova 2016) The assessment of stress encompasses a range of physiological parameters, including heart rate, temperature, immune responses, and hormone levels measured in saliva, blood, and urine. Alternatively, the observation of canine behavior by researchers provides a less invasive yet informative avenue for stress evaluation (Mariti et al. 2012). Recognized behavioral indicators such as vocalization, yawning, a lowered posture, and panting are widely acknowledged manifestations of stress in dogs (Horwitz and Mills 2009). ...
The positive impact of essential oils (EOs) on stress has been demonstrated in both humans and dogs. Among the EOs known for their anxiety-reducing properties, including Cananga odorata, Citrus aurantium, Cupressus sempervirens, Lavandula angustifolia, and Litsea citrata, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal concentration for efficacy. This exploratory study sought to investigate the effects of olfactory enrichment with a blend of these EOs on the activity levels of dogs introduced to an unfamiliar environment. The authors aimed to ascertain the minimum concentration necessary for stress reduction.
In a randomized controlled crossover study design, 54 dogs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, and 10 drops of the EO blend applied to their collars before entering an unfamiliar room with their owners. Behavioral observations were employed to quantify the total duration of stress-related behaviors for each dog under each treatment condition. A significant difference in panting was identified among the treatments (χ2(3) = 9.88; p = 0.020). Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed a significant reduction in panting during the 10 drops treatment compared to the control treatment (p = 0.047). No significant differences were observed for other stress-related behaviors.
To provide a comprehensive overview of behavioral tendencies in this canine population, owners also completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), revealing low scores for anxiety in the study group.
The findings suggest that a concentration of 10 drops of the EO blend on a dog's collar induces stress reduction, specifically reflected in decreased panting behavior. Lower concentrations did not exhibit a significant relationship with observed stress behaviors.
This study underscores the importance of exposing dogs to an appropriate concentration of EOs when exploring their potential benefits on welfare among dogs with low anxiety levels. Further research in this area is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of EOs for canine well-being.
... Hypothesis 5 Those who have been previously bitten by a dog and/or have less frequent contact will show a reduction in approach-stop time in comparison to those who have not been previously bitten and/or have more contact with dogs. (6) Assess the realism of the appearance and presence of the virtual dog model. ...
Dog "aggression" in the veterinary practice is commonplace. Therefore, student knowledge and education about dog behaviour and the ability to interpret "aggressive" behaviour is important from a human injury prevention and dog welfare perspective. The study aimed to compare first-year veterinary students' perceived safest proximity to both an "aggressive" and non-reactive simulated dog, both before and after a teaching intervention about canine behaviour and a handling practical. It also examined student confidence and their ability to identify "aggressive" behaviours. Forty first year veterinary students took part in two surveys. Each survey included two videos: one of a simulated dog displaying "aggressive" behaviour, based on the 'Canine Ladder of Aggression'; and another displaying non-reactive (passive behaviours without reaction to the participants) behaviours. Each video depicted the slow and consistent approach towards the virtual dog within a virtual indoor environment, and participants were asked to press stop if or when they would stop approaching the dog. In the "aggressive" scenario, there was a reduction in the approach-stop time from survey 1 (median = 17.8 s) to survey 2 (median = 15.2 s) in the intervention group (p = 0.018) but not in the control group (p = 0.147). Regarding confidence, there was a significant increase in the self-reported confidence rating relating to a participant's ability to interpret canine behaviour in both the control (p = 0.011) and intervention (p = 0.003). In conclusion, these results indicate that students using approach-stop videos stayed further away from an "aggressive" virtual dog model if they had undertaken a canine behaviour educational intervention. This novel approach has the potential for further use in teaching and assessment of student knowledge and behaviour which may otherwise be difficult to demonstrate.
... The age of the participants proved to have a significant, albeit minimal, effect on the probability of assigning the correct situation to the presented materials. Mariti et al. (2012) reported that aging reduced the ability to recognise and correctly interpret canine distress signals in humans, and a similar effect was found in the case of finding particular dog vocalisations as being alarming (Jégh-Czinege et al., 2020). Age and Fig. 7. Participants' focus on body regions between breeds in videos. ...
... In the context of owner-observed assessment of stress, Mariti et al. 29 have argued that many owners would benefit from more educational efforts to improve their ability to interpret the behavior of their dogs. Kerswell et al. 30 also showed that owners often overlook some subtle cues dogs exhibit in the initial phases of emotional OPEN ...
Behavioral traits in dogs are assessed for a wide range of purposes such as determining selection for breeding, chance of being adopted or prediction of working aptitude. Most methods for assessing behavioral traits are questionnaire or observation-based, requiring significant amounts of time, effort and expertise. In addition, these methods might be also susceptible to subjectivity and bias, negatively impacting their reliability. In this study, we proposed an automated computational approach that may provide a more objective, robust and resource-efficient alternative to current solutions. Using part of a ‘Stranger Test’ protocol, we tested n = 53 dogs for their response to the presence and neutral actions of a stranger. Dog coping styles were scored by three dog behavior experts. Moreover, data were collected from their owners/trainers using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). An unsupervised clustering of the dogs’ trajectories revealed two main clusters showing a significant difference in the stranger-directed fear C-BARQ category, as well as a good separation between (sufficiently) relaxed dogs and dogs with excessive behaviors towards strangers based on expert scoring. Based on the clustering, we obtained a machine learning classifier for expert scoring of coping styles towards strangers, which reached an accuracy of 78%. We also obtained a regression model predicting C-BARQ scores with varying performance, the best being Owner-Directed Aggression (with a mean average error of 0.108) and Excitability (with a mean square error of 0.032). This case study demonstrates a novel paradigm of ‘machine-based’ dog behavioral assessment, highlighting the value and great promise of AI in this context.
... Additionally, proxy factors such as gender and career experience can influence responses to QoL evaluations of animals. When male and female owners were presented with a questionnaire regarding their own dog's perceived levels of stress, male participants ranked the stress levels as lower than the ranking provided by female participants [70]. In geriatric zoo animals, QoL ratings assessed by veterinarians demonstrated interobserver differences related to career experience and area of specialty, with those categorized as zoo veterinarians and pathologists scoring QoL higher than interns, surgeons, and anaesthetists evaluating the same animal [49]. ...
Simple Summary
Zoos should aim to provide all of their animals with a good quality of life throughout life. Although quality of life is a complex notion that is difficult to define and measure, some modern zoos and zoo industry associations have started to develop and implement formalized quality-of-life assessment tools for this purpose. These tools have been used predominantly to assess the health and welfare of geriatric zoo mammals to assist in decision-making in relation to end-of-life care, including the timing of euthanasia. There is scope to improve the accuracy of these tools and to extend their use to assess the quality of life of non-mammalian species (e.g., birds and reptiles) and animals at other life stages (e.g., young adults) to enhance animal welfare. This review summarizes what quality of life is, why and how we should assess it in zoo animals, and what challenges this poses. It also identifies some learnings from quality-of-life assessments in humans and domestic species that can be applied to zoo animals and suggests directions for future innovations in this field.
Abstract
Zoos should aim to provide all of their animals with a good quality of life (QoL) throughout all life stages. In parallel with the evolution of QoL assessment questionnaires and tools in human and domestic animal settings, in recent times, some individual zoos and zoo industry associations have incorporated such instruments into their animal management practices. This has been conducted predominantly to inform, monitor, and document end-of-life decision-making for large, charismatic mammals. There is scope to expand the use of these tools to improve their utility, validity, reliability, and value to an animal welfare program. Assessment of QoL is a complex task given that the notion being measured is abstract and self-determined, and the design and purpose of the tools to do this require careful consideration. This review explores the QoL concept as it applies to animals, the assessment indications and methodologies relevant to a zoo setting, and the importance of considering QoL at any life stage across species. An overview of current thinking and the applications and limitations of QoL evaluation of captive wild animals is offered to promote and aid facility practice reviews and to help direct future innovations that leverage concurrent and converging advances in zoo animal welfare science.
... Silas, Binfet, and Ford (2019) found that canine stress levels were positively associated with handler self-reported stress. In a survey by Mariti et al. (2012), 60% of dog owners were able to provide a correct definition of stress and its impact on their dog's wellbeing. And, while intense behaviors like trembling, panting and vocalizing were easily attributed to stress by more than half of the respondents, study participants failed to identify the more subtle behavioral signs of unease (see Figure 1(b)). ...
... Similar to previous work, the overrepresentation of Caucasian females could introduce a bias in that these individuals may experience these items differently from other groups [33]. This is not the first time that differences between genders have been suggested, for example, in perceived stress levels in dogs [34]. In contrast, other authors reported that the gender of the owner had no effect on the dogs' QoL [6,8,9]. ...
The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the impact on the life and relationship of the owner. An online questionnaire based on a Likert scale score (1–10) was designed to assess items related to dog QoL, owner QoL, and the owner–dog relationship. Responses from 110 dog owners (30 with IBD and 80 healthy dogs) were included in the study. IBD dogs had significantly lower overall QoL (p < 0.001), health (p < 0.0001), and level of activity (p = 0.049). Owners of dogs with IBD reported lower overall QoL (p < 0.001). The scores for how their dog’s QoL might affect their own QoL (p = 0.028), how much their dog limited their social life, leisure time, or daily activities (p = 0.015), and how often they felt burdened by caring for their dog (p = 0.006) were significantly higher in the IBD group when compared to the healthy group. In addition, IBD dog owners were more likely to see their dogs as children (p = 0.0004). IBD has a negative impact on affected dogs and their owners regardless of the severity of the disease.
... That is, if the majority of dog owners have very high levels of duty beliefs, yet behavioural and welfare problems are highly prevalent within the general population [1,[37][38][39], perhaps they are not a result of a lack of duty beliefs, but rather the other situational or activation factors in the model such as problem awareness or taking responsibility for negative outcomes (ascription of responsibility). There is some evidence of dog owners having limited ability in interpreting dog body language or recognising less obvious signs of stress [40][41][42]. This would likely be a contributing factor to an inability to detect when there is something wrong or when there is a negative impact of their management. ...
Owner behaviour change may be the most promising avenue to improve dog welfare. As such, understanding potential drivers of owner behaviour is critical to developing effective intervention programs. Here we examine in depth the concept of “duty of care” as a motivator of owner behaviour. Using a mixed methods approach, this study aimed to better understand the potential dimensions of duty of care, their interrelationships, and develop psychometrically valid tools to measure them in companion dog owners. This was achieved through a multi-stage process including a critical literature review, qualitative interviews (n = 13), and an online survey (n = 538). Using Schwartz’s Norm Activation Model as a framework, we have developed a 30 item scale with 5 subscales; duty beliefs, problem awareness, awareness of impact, efficacy, and ascription of responsibility. These unique subscales demonstrate good internal consistency and construct validity. In addition to developing a measurement tool, this process has provided important insights into the nature of duty of care in companion dog owners, creating several avenues for future inquiry. One such finding was that many dog welfare problems may not be the result of lacking duty beliefs, but rather weaknesses in other “activation” factors such as problem awareness or ascription of responsibility. Further work is now required to understand the predictive validity of the scale and the relative influence of its different dimensions on owner behaviour and dog welfare outcomes. This will facilitate the identification of appropriate targets for intervention programs aimed at improving owner behaviour and consequently, dog welfare.
In veterinary psychiatry, the process of translating collected signs into symptoms is a key element. The collection of semiological data is a complex technique that requires a meticulous interview with the pet owner. Details of this data collection, behavior by behavior, are provided to underscore the intricate nature of this process and emphasize the critical need for accuracy in the information gathered.
Animal welfare is a complex subject whose scope goes far beyond the objectives of this book. In our profession as caregivers, our main objective is to improve the quality of life of the animal and its owner in order to achieve a harmonious and good quality relationship.
By defining animal welfare from Maslow’s pyramid, we are led to distinguish between farm animals and pets.
The notion of a captive animal does not seem relevant for the dog, which has been domesticated for more than 30 millennia. On the other hand, the search for psychologically balanced individuals must be based on the adequacy between the developmental environment and the final environment of life. Breed selection has a significant impact on the welfare of pet dogs.
The role of the practitioner should go as far as an assessment of this welfare, and we need to build recommendations for a consultation dedicated to this evaluation.
In this chapter, we describe the psychiatric disorders related to communication problems. We present the nosography of interspecific communication disorders, which concern communication between humans and dogs, and then intraspecific communication disorders. Among interspecific disorders, we identify several possible causes: incoherent communication and violent communication. Among intraspecific disorders, we highlight lack of experience or desocialization, negative experiences, and individual predispositions.
For each disorder, the clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and follow-up are detailed, and clinical vignettes are included to enrich the text.
This chapter first describes the causes and consequences of care.
It also explains the mechanisms of the appearance of the healthcare phobia in the dog. It then proposes a series of environmental, behavioral, and medical tools to manage this phobia or to avoid its appearance. Finally, an ideal care pathway is proposed, from which each practitioner and each structure will be able to draw elements that can be applied or adapted to their own practice.
In this chapter, we describe psychiatric disorders related to the dysregulation of the fear axis. We present the sensory deprivation syndrome, the categorical phobias, and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The so-called categorical phobias include social phobias, phobias of care, noises, transport, etc.
For each disorder, the clinical overview, the diagnosis, the treatment, the prognosis, and the follow-up are detailed and short clinical cases are used to enrich the text.
Llamado el mejor amigo del hombre, pero no nos damos cuenta el daño que ocasiona lo que nosotros llamamos sonido para ellos es ruido, tienen una sensibilidad en los oídos tan extremas ya que son capaces de percibir con frecuencias más altas, es por ello por lo que el objetivo fue determinar los impactos del ruido en perros. La metodología utilizada para la sistematización de la información fue la declaración PRISMA 2020, para determinar el crecimiento anual de la producción científica se calculó con la herramienta digital Calcuvio y el análisis de datos se realizó con Microsoft Office Excel versión 2016 y VOSviewer versión 1.6.19. La distribución geográfica de las investigaciones por año se centró en el 2018 y 2022, el país pionero con mayor publicación fue Estados Unidos, la producción científica fue de 30.26% (crecimiento bajo), las palabras clave con el mayor número de coocurrencias fueron “stress” y “noise” y “dog” y los impactos más frecuentes del ruido en perros fueron en los cambios del comportamiento y el miedo-ansiedad. Se concluye que para futuras investigaciones se debe buscar medidas preventivas del ruido y evaluar el grado de afección en los perros.
This chapter deals with the psychology of dogs, which a few years back was the exclusive domain of humans. It presents in detail its basic issues such as the theories of dog psychology, which are: the Pavlovian or Classical Conditioning that considers dog learning to be conditioned by connecting two unrelated events together in their mind; the Pack Mentality and Dominance, which is based on the concept that dogs following wolves constantly compete to rank highest in the pack; and the Operant Conditioning and Positive Reinforcement, which is based on the notion that dogs’ behavior can be modified by applying positive or negative stimuli. In addition, the chapter presents the factors shaping dog psychology such as: the Physical Characteristics of dogs, which may look very different from humans, but they share many of their physical characteristics; their Behavioral Characteristics, which show that dogs are smart, fun, complex, interesting, and generally interested and useful creatures; their Adaptability, which has an impact on their psychology and consequently on their training; and their Senses, which represent an important source of understanding dogs and their psychology. Finally, the chapter presents how to practice and apply or face challenges of dog psychology, because its practice helps significantly dog activities such as: Puppy Selection; Supplier Selection; and evaluating Puppy Qualifications, while its application plays a paramount role in responding to Dog Needs, in Training Methods, and in Every Day life with a dog.
The assessment of behavioral traits in dogs is a well-studied challenge due to its many practical applications such as selection for breeding, prediction of working aptitude, chances of being adopted, etc. Most methods for assessing behavioral traits are questionnaire or observation-based, which require a significant amount of time, effort and expertise. In addition, these methods are also susceptible to subjectivity and bias, making them less reliable. In this study, we proposed an automated computational approach that may provide a more objective, robust and resource-efficient alternative to current solutions. Using part of a Stranger Test protocol, we tested (n=53) dogs for their response to the presence and benign actions of a stranger. Dog coping styles were scored by three experts. Moreover, data were collected from their handlers using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) . An unsupervised clustering of the dogs' trajectories revealed two main clusters showing a significant difference in the stranger-directed fear C-BARQ factor, as well as a good separation between (sufficiently) relaxed dogs and dogs with excessive behaviors towards strangers based on expert scoring. Based on the clustering, we obtained a machine learning classifier for expert scoring of coping styles towards strangers, which reached an accuracy of 78%. We also obtained a regression model predicting C-BARQ factor scores with varying performance, the best being Owner-Directed Aggression (with a mean average error of 0.108) and Excitability (with a mean square error of 0.032). This case study demonstrates a novel paradigm of digitally enhanced canine behavioral testing.
Historically, pet dogs were trained using mainly negative reinforcement or punishment,
but positive reinforcement using rewards has recently become more popular. The
methods used may have different impacts on the dogs’ welfare. We distributed a
questionnaire to 364 dog owners in order to examine the relative effectiveness of
different training methods and their effects upon a pet dog’s behaviour. When asked how
they trained their dog on seven basic tasks, 66% reported using vocal punishment, 12%
used physical punishment, 60% praise (social reward), 51% food rewards and 11% play.
The owner’s ratings for their dog’s obedience during eight tasks correlated positively
with the number of tasks which they trained using rewards (P < 0.01), but not using
punishment (P = 0.05). When asked whether their dog exhibited any of 16 common
problematic behaviours, the number of problems reported by the owners correlated with
the number of tasks for which their dog was trained using punishment (P < 0.001), but
not using rewards (P = 0.17). Exhibition of problematic behaviours may be indicative of
compromised welfare, because such behaviours can be caused by—or result in—a state
of anxiety and may lead to a dog being relinquished or abandoned. Because punishment
was associated with an increased incidence of problematic behaviours, we conclude that
it may represent a welfare concern without concurrent benefits in obedience. We suggest
that positive training methods may be more useful to the pet-owning community
Despite the popular idea that dog owners are often responsible in some way for their animals' behaviour problems, the scientific evidence is scarce and contradictory. Some studies have failed to detect any links between the quality of the owner-dog relationship and the occurrence of behaviour problems, while others suggest that some behaviour problems may be associated with certain aspects of owner personality, attitudes and/or behaviour.Using retrospective data from a sample of 737 dogs, the present study investigated the association between the prevalence of different behaviour problems and various aspects of either owner behaviour or owner-dog interactions. A number of statistically significant associations were detected: (a) between obedience training and reduced prevalence of competitive aggression (P < 0.02), separation-related problems (P < 0.001), and escaping and roaming (P < 0.05); (b) between the timing of the dogs' meal times and the occurrence of territorial-type aggression (P < 0.01); (c) between sleeping close to the owner and increased prevalence of competitive aggression (P < 0.01) and separation-related problems (P < 0.01); (d) between first-time ownership and the prevalence of dominance-type aggression (P < 0.001), separation-related problems (P < 0.05), fear of loud noises (P < 0.001), and various manifestations of overexcitability (P < 0.001); (e) between owners' initial reasons for acquiring a dog and the prevalence of dominance-type (P < 0.001), competitive (P < 0.01) and territorial aggression (P < 0.01). The possible practical implications of these findings are discussed.
During their second or third day in public animal shelter, juvenile/adult dogs were exposed to a venipuncture procedure. Then the dogs were either not petted or were petted in a prescribed manner by either a man or a woman; 20 min later, a second blood sample was collected. There was a clear increase in cortisol levels 20 min after the first venipuncture in juvenile/adult dogs that were not petted, but not in dogs that were petted by either a man or a woman. Additional comparisons showed that the petting procedure also inhibited the cortisol response following venipuncture in puppies. However, petting did not reduce the cortisol response to housing in the shelter per se. During petting, dogs made few attempts to escape, frequently were observed in a relaxed posture, and panting was common in juvenile/adult dogs. When dogs were petted immediately following removal from the living cage, those petted by women yawned more often and spent more time in a relaxed, head-up posture. Together, these results indicate that a previously observed sex difference in the effectiveness of petters in reducing the cortisol response was not due to some difference in odor or other nonbehavioural stimulus quality of men and women. Subtle aspects of petting technique appear to have pronounced effects on physiological and possibly behavioural responses of dogs confined in a shelter. Petting may be an effective means of reducing the cortisol responses of dogs to other common aversive situations, such as routine medical examinations and vaccination procedures at veterinary clinics as well as shelters.
To examine the relationship among gender, sex role orientation, and attitudes toward the treatment of animals, 144 male and 222 female college students were administered the Bem Sex Role Inventory, a Likert-scale questionnaire designed to assess attitudes toward animal welfare issues, and a measure of perceived comfort touching animals of a variety of species. There were significant gender differences on all of the animal-related measures with the exception of self-reported comfort touching positively perceived animals. Gender and the expressive (feminine) dimension of sex role orientation accounted for a significant proportion of the variation in attitudes toward animal welfare issues and comfort with other species. Correlations between the masculine and feminine dimensions of sex role orientation were related in opposite directions on all animal attitude measures.
Anthropomorphism, attachment level, and belief in animal mind, as well as owners' level of empathy and attitudes toward their pets, are some of the factors that affect human-animal interactions. Owners' ability to identify painful conditions in their pets may have important consequences for the welfare of these animals. In addition to characterizing the typical Norwegian dog owner, the aim of this work was to study the relationship between empathy, attitudes, and perceived animal pain. A sample of 3,413 dog owners in Norway received an internet-based questionnaire (QuestBack™), to which1896 responded. The questionnaire included four parts: demographics, the Pet Attitude Scale (PAS), the Animal Empathy Scale (AES), and the Pain Assessment Instrument (PAI). For the PAI, participants were presented with 17 photos, showing dogs experiencing painful situations of varying degrees, and were asked to rate the level of pain they believed each animal was enduring, using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results showed that Norwegian dog owners had very high levels of animal-directed empathy and equally high levels of positive attitudes toward pets. There were differences based on gender, childhood pet keeping, income and education. Differences were also found rooted in owners' use of their dog, whether kept for companionship or hunting, as well as household size, an indication of human social relations. A strong, positive correlation (r = 0.58) was found between animal-directed empathy and positive attitudes toward pets. Empathy was found to be the best predictor of how people rated pain in dogs. The correlations were, however, moderate, indicating that other processes are also involved when observing animals in pain.
263 university students completed a questionnaire about animal research, to assess the impression created by animal rights activists that there is a growing opposition in this country to the use of animals for research. Data show that most Ss were concerned about pain and suffering in animals but the majority appreciated and supported the need for using animals in research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The process of domestication involves adaptation, usually to a captive environment. Domesti-cation is attained by some combination of genetic changes occurring over generations and Ž . developmental mechanisms e.g., physical maturation, learning triggered by recurring environ-mental events or management practices in captivity that influence specific biological traits. The transition from free-living to captive status is often accompanied by changes in availability andror accessibility of shelter, space, food and water, and by changes in predation and the social environment. These changes set the stage for the development of the domestic phenotype. Behavioral development in animals undergoing domestication is characterized by changes in the quantitative rather than qualitative nature of responses. The hypothesized loss of certain behavior patterns under domestication can usually be explained by the heightening of response thresholds. Increases in response frequency accompanying domestication can often be explained by atypical rates of exposure to certain forms of perceptual and locomotor stimulation. Genetic changes influencing the development of the domestic phenotype result from inbreeding, genetic drift, artificial selection, natural selection in captivity, and relaxed selection. Experiential contributions to the domestic phenotype include the presence or absence of key stimuli, changes in intraspecific aggressive interactions and interactions with humans. Man's role as a buffer between the animal and its environment is also believed to have an important effect on the development of the domestic phenotype. The domestication process has frequently reduced the sensitivity of animals to changes in their environment, perhaps the single-most important change accompanying domestication. It has also resulted in modified rates of behavioral and physical development. Interest in breeding animals in captivity for release in nature has flourished in recent decades. The capacity of domestic animals to survive and reproduce in nature may depend on the extent to which the gene pool of the population has been altered during the domestication process and flexibility in behavioral development. ''Natural'' gene pools should be protected when breeding wild animals in captivity for the purpose of reestablishing free-living natural populations. In some) Tel.
Six weeks of social and spatial restriction were used as a model to induce chronic stress in Beagles. Behavioral and physiological measurements were performed during a period of enriched spacious outdoor housing in groups (GH) and during a subsequent period of solitary housing in small indoor kennels (IH). Behavioral parameters that may indicate chronic stress in dogs are reported. During IH, the dogs showed significantly (comparison-wise error rate <0.05) lower postures than during GH. IH induced enduring increments in frequencies of autogrooming, paw lifting, and vocalizing, and was associated with incidents of coprophagy and repetitive behavior. So far, we interpret the behavioral changes as signs of chronic stress. Relatively low levels of walking, digging, intentions to change from one state of locomotion to another, and increments in circling are conceived as obvious adaptations to the specific features of the IH system. By challenging the dogs outside their home kennel we tested whether the dogs’ coping abilities were affected by IH. Dogs that were challenged were introduced into a novel environment, given the opportunity to escape from their home kennel, restrained, walked down an unfamiliar corridor, presented a novel object, exposed to loud noise, given food, or confronted with a conspecific. During IH, challenged dogs exhibited higher postures, showed more tail wagging, nosing, circling, urinating, and defecating, and changed more often from one state of locomotion (or posture) to another than during GH. These behavioral changes were observed across the different types of challenges, with the exception of the noise administration test. In the presence of conspecifics, the socially and spatially restricted male dogs behaved more dominantly and aggressive than during the time that they were kept in groups. Such behavior manifested as increased performances of raised hairs, growling, paw laying, and standing over. Both sexes showed increases in paw lifting, body shaking, ambivalent postures, intentions to change from one state of locomotion to another, and trembling in any of the challenges, excluding the walking down the corridor test. In short, during a variety of challenges, socially and spatially restricted dogs exhibited a heightened state of aggression, excitement, and uncertainty. Behavioral differences between dogs that had experienced pleasant and bad weather conditions during GH, suggested that “pleasant-weather individuals” had experienced early stress during the control period, and, as a result, responded to the subsequent period of IH differently. Regardless of the housing conditions, challenged bitches showed stronger indications of acute stress than male dogs. Gender did not affect the chronic stress responses to social and spatial restriction. A low posture and increased autogrooming, paw lifting, vocalizing, repetitive behavior, and coprophagy may indicate chronic stress in dogs, and as such, can help to identify poor welfare. When challenged, chronically stressed dogs may show increased excitement, aggression, and uncertainty, but the nonspecificity of such emotional behavior will complicate its practical use with regard to the assessment of stress.
Most guide and service dog organizations would benefit from the development of accurate methods for the early evaluation of canine temperament traits. This paper describes the development and validation of a novel questionnaire method for assessing behavior and temperament in 1-year-old guide dogs. Volunteer puppy-raisers scored a total of 1097 prospective guide dogs on a series of 40 semantic differential-type, behavioral rating scales. Principle components factor analysis of these scores extracted eight stable and interpretable common factors: stranger-directed fear/aggression, non-social fear, energy level, owner-directed aggression, chasing, trainability, attachment, and dog-directed fear/aggression. Three of these eight factors exhibited moderate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha>/=0.72), while the reliabilities of the remaining factors were relatively low (Cronbach's alpha=0.53-0.61). The eight factors were then validated against the guide dog school's own criteria for rejecting dogs for behavioral reasons. The results of this analysis confirmed the construct validity of the puppy raisers' questionnaire assessments of their dogs, and suggested that such methods can provide a useful and accurate means of predicting the suitability of dogs for guiding work. Various modifications to the original questionnaire are proposed in order to enhance its overall reliability.
Although gender differences in attitudes toward animal research have been reported in the literature for some time, exploration into the nature of these differences has received less attention. This article examines gender differences in responses to a survey of attitudes toward the use of animals in research. The survey was completed by college students and consisted of items intended to tap different issues related to the animal research debate. Results indicated that women were more likely than men to support tenets of the animal protection movement. Likewise, women were more likely than men to favor increased restrictions on animal use and were more concerned than men about the suffering of research animals. Analysis of item contents suggested that women endorsed items reflecting a general caring for animals, were more willing than men to make personal sacrifices such as giving up meat and medical benefits in an effort to protect animals, and were more likely than men to question the use of animals in research on scientific grounds. Men, on the other hand, tended to emphasize the potential benefits arising from the use of animals in research.
Females valued wild animals as objects of affection and expressed considerable concern regarding the consumptive exploitation of wildlife. Males were far more knowledgeable and less fearful of wildlife and more inclined to value animals for practical and recreational reasons. Efforts to broaden the scope and effectiveness of wildlife management should consider and understand the influence of gender. -Authors
Behavioural effects of the use of a shock collar during guard dog training of German shepherd dogs were studied. Direct reactions of 32 dogs to 107 shocks showed reactions (lowering of body posture, high pitched yelps, barks and squeals, avoidance, redirection aggression, tongue flicking) that suggest stress or fear and pain. Most of these immediate reactions lasted only a fraction of a second. The behaviour of 16 dogs that had received shocks in the recent past (S-dogs) was compared with the behaviour of 15 control dogs that had received similar training but never had received shocks (C-dogs) in order to investigate possible effects of a longer duration. Only training sessions were used in which no shocks were delivered and the behaviour of the dogs (position of body, tail and ears, and stress-, pain- and aggression-related behaviours) was recorded in a way that enabled comparison between the groups. During free walking on the training grounds S-dogs showed a lower ear posture and more stress-related behaviours than C-dogs. During obedience training and during manwork (i.e. excercises with a would-be criminal) the same differences were found. Even a comparison between the behaviour of C-dogs with that of S-dogs during free walking and obedience exercises in a park showed similar differences. Differences between the two groups of dogs existed in spite of the fact that C-dogs also were trained in a fairly harsh way. A comparison between the behaviour during free walking with that during obedience exercises and manwork, showed that during training more stress signals were shown and ear positions were lower. The conclusions, therefore are, that being trained is stressful, that receiving shocks is a painful experience to dogs, and that the S-dogs evidently have learned that the presence of their owner (or his commands) announces reception of shocks, even outside of the normal training context. This suggests that the welfare of these shocked dogs is at stake, at least in the presence of their owner.
This paper reviews the history of the establishment of dog breeds, summarizes current health and resultant welfare problems and makes some positive suggestions for their resolution. Some breed standards and selection practices run counter to the welfare interests of dogs, to the extent that some breeds are characterized by traits that may be difficult to defend on welfare grounds. Meanwhile, little selection pressure seems to be exerted on some traits that would improve animal welfare and produce dogs better suited to modern society. Unfortunately, the incidence of certain inherited defects in some breeds is unacceptably high, while the number of registered animals of certain breeds within some countries is so low as to make it almost impossible for breeders to avoid mating close relatives. There are several constructive ways to overcome these challenges. Breed associations can ensure that reduction of welfare problems is one of their major aims; they can review breed standards; they can embrace modern technology for animal identification and pedigree checking; they can allow the introduction of 'new' genetic material into closed stud-books; and they can encourage collaboration with geneticists in identifying and using DNA markers for the control of inherited disorders. There should be a concerted effort to produce and evaluate as companion animals first-cross (F1) hybrids from matings between various pairs of breeds. Finally, geneticists must learn to communicate their science better and in a language that non-geneticists can understand.
This research aimed to identify the frequency and type of undesirable behaviors observed by guide dog puppy walkers and management strategies used by them during the puppy-walking period.All members of 36 puppy-walking families (N = 96), recruited from the National School of Guide Dogs for Blind People in Florence (Italy), completed an 80-item questionnaire. This sampling represented homes caring for 28 Labrador retrievers, 6 Golden retrievers, and 2 German shepherd dogs. Of these dogs, 47.2% (n = 17) were males and 52.8% (n = 19) females, and 66.7% (n = 24) were between 7 and 12 months old.Three categories of undesirable behaviors were recorded. First, behaviors considered inconsequential to the guide dog role were: digging (11.8%, n = 11); chewing objects (4.4%, n = 4); stealing or begging for food (3.1%, n = 3); licking people (5.9%, n = 5); getting on furniture (4.4% n = 4); defending territory (2.8%, n = 2); and coprophagia (5.9%, n = 5). Second, the following behaviors considered easily resolvable through training were recorded: lack of recall (8.9%, n = 10); pulling on lead (11.8%, n = 11); jumping up (28.1%, n = 30); barking at other dogs (5.9%, n = 5); chewing the leash (1.5%, n = 1); and house soiling (5.9% (n = 5). Third, these potentially disqualifying behaviors were observed: scavenging (17.7%, n = 17); aggressive barking, growling, and biting (10.4%, n = 10); and fear of thunderstorms (6.2%, n = 6); loud noises (32.3%, n = 31); men (2.1%, n = 2); women (3.1%, n = 3); and people with unusual clothes (6.2%, n = 6). None of the puppies was reported to be fearful of children.Overall, 67.7% (n = 66) of respondents recorded at least 1 undesirable behavior. However, only few of them might lead to disqualification. The results suggest that most of the puppies were well socialized to people and not fearful.Puppy walkers could contribute to the early assessment of potential behavioral problems, which are a major cause of disqualifying guide dogs.
Research conducted by the Anthrozoology Institute and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has shown that many working dogs exhibit high levels of physiologic stress in response to kenneling (Hiby et al., 2006; Rooney et al., 2007a). Furthermore, these dogs tend to perform poorly during training, establishing links between welfare and working ability (Rooney et al., 2005, 2007b). Subsequently, we have been studying how kenneling affects welfare and working ability. Specifically, we have investigated which elements within housing and husbandry influence welfare, which of these seem to be the most important, and how environmental enrichment (e.g. feeding devices) can affect welfare and working ability. This paper draws together results from all of these studies, identifying signs that may be indicative of compromised welfare, and providing guidelines, based on scientific evidence, for how to improve kenneled working dog welfare. It reproduces an unpublished guide designed to primarily inform and advise practitioners who are responsible for caring for, and/or handling working dogs. This paper aims to ensure that practitioners are updated of the most recent advances in working dog welfare, and hence many of the studies summarized here are yet to be published in full, in peer-reviewed journals.
The occurrence of stress has widely been associated with impairments in learning abilities in animals, although the influence of stress appears to differ with the complexity of tasks. Previous research has suggested that some domestic dogs exhibit both physiological (elevated cortisol) and behavioural signs of stress when newly admitted to re-homing centres. In this study we have investigated whether levels of stress as measured by urinary cortisol: creatinine is sufficient to impair the learning of simple associations. On the day following their admission to a re-homing centre, 32 dogs were trained on one classical conditioning task and one operant conditioning task; 6 days later, they were trained on a second operant conditioning task. Their mean urinary cortisol:creatinine ratio (C/C) fell from 27.1×10−6 to 22.3×10−6 (nmol/l:nmol/l) between these 2 days; a substantial proportion (78% on day 1, 63% on day 7) of dogs had ratios above the range of 5–20×10−6, which is that defined as clinically normal (Bush, 1991), suggesting high levels of stress. The dogs’ average time to reach criterion on either task on day 1 was unrelated to C/C or to behavioural signs of stress; this lack of correspondence may reflect the diverse previous experiences of the dogs. On day 7, the six dogs which failed to reach criterion for the operant association were significantly less active and interactive in their kennels than the others. For the remainder, a high rate of learning the operant association was associated with high C/C (in excess of 40×10−6), and a poor performance was associated with fearful behaviour in the kennel. Dogs appear to have adopted one of two coping strategies: either the display of fearful behaviours and an impaired ability to learn the tasks, which may reflect a ‘reactive’ style of responding, or a higher level of HPA axis activation and an enhanced ability to rapidly learn a new task, which may be indicative of a more ‘proactive’ coping style.
This study analysed the cat–human relationship paying attention to the quality of life (QoL) of 62 cats. QoL was assessed as being low, medium and high, using: (1) four questionnaires which investigated care, cat behaviour, cat and owner features, (2) a simple physical examination of the cat and (3) the Lexington attachment to pets scale (LAPS) test. The investigation revealed a medium QoL for about 87.2% of the pets. Although most of the cats received a good quality of care and were in good physical condition, only 16.1% did not show abnormal behaviour. The level of QoL results to be influenced by the cohabitation with conspecifics. The level of care given to the cat is greatly influenced by the gender, the education, the previous experience, the real ownership, the number of friends and of emotional bonds of the owner to people and by the gonadectomy (P
The behavioural effects of dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) continuously administered over a 7-day period, were evaluated in adult dogs housed in a public animal shelter. Barking amplitude (dB) and the frequency of discrete behavioural responses to two temperament tests associated with fear, separation and excitable behaviour (Arrowsmith, unpublished data) were recorded in 37 treatment and 17 control dogs. Mean barking amplitude (Leq) and barking frequency were significantly reduced in dogs subject to DAP exposure for 7 days (P
The behavioural characteristics of specialist search dogs were examined using a survey of 244 dog handlers and trainers. The English Springer Spaniel was the most common breed, followed by the Labrador Retriever, cross breeds and the Border Collie. Individuals of these four breeds varied significantly on 5 out of 30 characteristics, as rated by their handlers, namely; tendency to be distracted when searching, agility, motivation to obtain food, independence, and stamina. English Springer Spaniels and Border Collies scored significantly closer to ideal levels than did Labrador Retrievers and cross breeds, for several of these characteristics. Overall satisfaction with the handler’s own dog(s) did not differ between the four most common breeds and was also unaffected by the dog’s sex. However, males and females did differ in their ratings for one characteristic; males were rated higher than females, which were rated closer to the ideal, for aggression towards other dogs. Overall, there appeared to be little difference between the sexes in their suitability for search work.
The welfare of an individual is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment. Welfare varies on a continuum from very good to very poor, and it can be assessed precisely. Information about what conditions might result in good welfare can be obtained from studies of preferences, buth the importance of the preference to the individual must be assessed. Measures which show how poor welfare is when animals encounter short-term or long-term problems may be physiological, behavioural, or concerned with individual production or disease. Individuals vary in the coping methods which they use, so any one measure may indicate poor welfare and absence of evidence using one measure does not mean that there is no welfare problem.
Four hundred and sixty-two dogs entering a veterinary clinic for routine examination were observed and subjectively classified into one of four categories: Group A, based on their apprehensive entrances and submission; Group B, based on their outgoing personalities; Group C, based on fear-biting attitudes; Group D, based on active defensive tendencies. Data collected from individuals in each group included sex, age, weight, entering behavior, urination, controllability and vocalization. On the basis of this study, 60 percent of the entering dogs were subjectively classified in Group A, and a fearful entrance, urination, and average weight of 12 kg were determined to be significant features for the group. Group B was composed of 17 percent of the dogs studies. As a group, there was a significant tendency for a willing entrance, controllability, and urination. The average weight was 18.9 kg. The fear-biting dogs of Group C totaled 18 percent of those studied. These animals exhibited aggression and vocalization when restrained. Their average weight was 6.8 kg. The last group, D, subjectively consisted of 5 percent of the animals studied. These dogs entered willingly and did not display urinary behaviors. Their average weight was 28.5 kg.
The present study investigates how characteristics of both the dog, Canis familiaris, and their owner influence the quality of life (QoL) of the pet dog. The investigation was carried out using a multiple approach: (1) three questionnaires which investigated characteristics of the dog and their owner and care given to the dog, (2) simple physical examination of the dog, (3) the Strange Situation Test to investigate the dog's attachment to their owner and (4) the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS) test.A sample of 104 dog–owner dyads participated in the study. The level of care was found to be positively influenced by marital status (single) and negatively by the age of the dog, length of the dog–owner relationship and neutering. The best physical condition was found for pure breed dogs belonging to men and to people who prefer dogs among pets while physical condition decreases for aging dogs or those with a long relationship with their owner. Attachment to the owner was stronger for dogs with a long relationship and those belonging to people who had had previous experience with pets and those with many emotional bonds. Conversely, the attachment level was lower for pure breed dogs and those whose owners shared the property with other people. LAPS was influenced only by owner features: people more attached to their dogs are those who do not live with children and who do have many emotional bonds. Finally, the majority of dogs had a high level of QoL which was influenced positively by the number of emotional bonds of the owner and negatively by the dog's age and length of the dog–owner relationship.
This study addresses interactions between hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activation in response to stress, relationship quality, and behavior in thunderstorm-anxious dogs and their owners. Using a controlled repeated-measures design, we experimentally manipulated exposure of individuals to a stressor they were highly fearful of, and assessed both their own and their caregivers’ physiological and behavioral responsiveness. Saliva samples were collected from 19 dog–owner dyads before, 20 and 40min after exposure to a simulated thunderstorm and were later assayed for cortisol. In response to the challenge, the dogs exhibited classic signs of fear (i.e., pacing, whining, hiding), their cortisol levels increased 207%, and these levels did not return to baseline within 40min. There were no effects of the owners’ behavior or the quality of the dog–owner relationship on the dogs’ HPA or behavioral reactivity. However, the presence of other dogs in the household was linked to less pronounced reactivity and more rapid recovery of the dog's HPA response. On average, the cortisol levels of the caregivers did not increase. Owners’ mood (e.g. depression, anger) affected their behavioral response towards their dogs. These findings are among the first to study the HPA responsiveness of anxious canines in response to stress in a home setting, and the physiological and behavioral effects of problem canine behavior on their caregivers.
The purpose of this study was to determine if dogs that were treated ‘like a person’ or that had not been obedience trained were more likely to exhibit owner-reported behavior problems than dogs not treated in those ways. A questionnaire, comprising 75 items, was available in the waiting room of the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania throughout 1981. Responses to 11 questions answered by 711 different respondents, each from a different household, were analyzed. Nine questions related to treating the dog ‘like a person’ (either spoiling the dog or viewing it anthropomorphically), and the other two asked whether or not the dog had had formal obedience training and whether or not the dog had engaged in a behavior that the owner considered a problem. Results of a series of chi-square analyses failed to reveal that problem behaviors were related to obedience training, ‘spoiling’, or anthropomorphic activities. Further, a discriminant analysis was unable to identify any variable (item), including obedience training, ‘spoiling’ activities, or anthropomorphic attitudes, that distinguished between dogs engaging and not engaging in problem behaviors. Eight variables were then factor analyzed, resulting in four factors which counted for 71.15% of the variance. The factors, which pertained to owners sharing food with their dog, taking the dog along on trips or errands, dog comfort or resting places, and anthropomorphic attitudes, were analyzed along with the obedience training and behavior problem variables in an ANOVA. The results showed that dogs whose owners interacted with them in an anthropomorphic manner, ‘spoiled’ them in certain ways, or did not provide obedience training were no more likely to engage in behaviors considered a problem by the owner than were dogs not viewed anthropomorphically, ‘spoiled’ by their owner, or given obedience training.
Poor housing conditions, harsh training sessions and uncontrollable or unpredictable social environments are examples of the situations that may lead to reduced welfare status in dogs. Individuals that suffer from poor welfare presumably experience stress and may consequently exhibit stress responses. In order to evaluate stress responses as potential indicators of poor welfare in dogs, we review studies dealing with dogs subjected to stressors. The reported stress responses are categorized as being behavioural, physiological or immunological, and demonstrate the various ways stress is manifested in the dog.
Dogs show a range of behaviors that reflect their emotional state. It is important that dog owners recognize these behaviors to accurately assess their dog's emotional state. We examined dog owners' self-reported comprehension (SRC) of their dog's emotional state. Eighty-nine participants attending puppy socialization classes at local veterinary clinics in the Melbourne Metropolitan area, Victoria, Australia, rated their comprehension of their dog's emotional states (Happy, Sad, Anxious, Angry, Friendly Greeting, and Anxious Greeting) and listed the behaviors they used to judge the emotional state of their dog. In most cases (Anxious Greeting being the only exception), the owners' perceived comprehension of their dog's emotional state was not closely related to the number of behaviors they reported. The reported behaviors were mostly restricted to vocalizations and gross body movements. There was also no relationship between SRC and dog morphology. There were relationships between SRC and the age and gender of the participant, and previous puppy ownership. It was concluded that most dog owners report having a good understanding of the emotional state of their dogs, when they seem to have low appreciation of the signals that dogs send in the earlier stages of emotional arousal. An approach to lowering dog owners' perception of their comprehension of dog behavior, which may increase their willingness to seek education on dog behavior, and increase the efficacy of the education, is suggested.
We surveyed residents' attitudes toward common urban animals and their participation in animal-oriented activities in the city of Trondheim, Norway. The results show that people most like small birds, squirrels, butterflies, hedgehogs, ducks, geese and dogs, and dislike bats, snails, invertebrate species, mice and rats. Birds of prey, foxes, cats, bumblebees, magpies, pigeons, badgers, gulls, grasshoppers and crows received a neutral ranking. Generally, females more than males liked the popular and neutral species, while males more than females liked the less-preferred animals. A negative association was found between age of respondents and preferences for birds of prey, dogs, cats, badgers, bats, mice and rats. This relation was positive for some invertebrate species, and small and medium-sized birds. A positive correlation was found between educational level of the respondents and preference scores for most of the species listed. Watching television programs about nature (59% often/very often) and watching/feeding birds (41%) were the most frequently reported animal-related activities. When walking in the neighborhood, important animal-related motives for doing this were to observe birds (42%) and to observe mammals (34%). Interest in bird observation and television programs about nature increased with increasing age. Few respondents reported experiencing problems with wildlife, but dogs and cats were more often (36%) considered to create problems. These results indicate that wildlife plays an important role in shaping urban residents' daily experiences, and that both animals and their habitats should have a higher priority in urban planning and management.
Informal or incidental learning in recreational parks has been rarely assessed, although most city-dwellers enjoy and appreciate wildlife in their day-to-day lives. Incidental or informal learning is non-intentional and grows out of spontaneous situations and is mostly self-directed. Here, we focus on the informal setting of a small urban park in Ludwigsburg (Germany) as a source of incidental learning. Two hundred and forty-eight visitors were interviewed at the park using a questionnaire, and 102 other people (non-visitors) acted as a control group. Park visitors scored significantly better in their knowledge of animal species compared with our control group. Species knowledge increased with age, with number of park visits, and with educational level. Using the number of species visitors had previously seen at the park, we found a significant influence of educational level, park visiting frequency, and of park use. Ninety-seven percent of participants responded with positive attitudes towards animals, and most animals were detected by their movement, rather than by their sound or coloration.
Reviews several previously reported measures of affection for pets from a psychometric perspective and describes the development of the Pet Relationship Scale (PRS) along with preliminary reliability and validity information. Validation studies were based on comparison of the PRS with the Pet Attitude Scale developed by D. I. Templer et al (see record
1982-06859-001), and with 2 nonrandom samples of 293 elderly (mean age 72 yrs) Ss and 101 undergraduates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
120 men and 223 women who were in the process of adopting a pet completed an inventory rating physical, emotional, and intellectual effects of roles that pets were expected to play. Ss who were parents also rated the expected roles of pets in their children's lives. Current or previous pet owners retained significantly more newly adopted pets than did Ss who never had pets. Men and parents rejected a significantly higher percentage of pets than did women and nonparents, respectively. Specific role expectations differed considerably between men and women, parents and nonparents, and retainers and rejecters. Ss held higher expectations for dogs than for cats. Suggestions are made for better preparation of future adoptive pet owners to reduce the number of adopted pets abandoned and euthanized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The management of puppies is considered of great importance in raising well-behaved adult dogs. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of advice provided by a veterinary behaviorist regarding puppy-raising practices. Forty-six puppy owners received advice by a veterinary behaviorist concerning puppy raising during the puppy's first visit to a veterinarian. A control group was composed of 43 different dogs whose owners were not counseled by a veterinary behaviorist during the puppy's first veterinary visit. Owners were interviewed about their dog's behaviors at the time of their 1-year booster vaccination visit. The 89 dogs were clinically healthy, between 11 and 18 months old, 53% females and 47% males, of various or mixed breeds. Dogs whose owners received advice displayed less undesirable behaviors than the control group, such as: house soiling (2% vs 23%; c 2 5 19.50; P , .01), mounting (26% vs 49%; c 2 5 12.11; P , .05), nonstop playing (0% vs 12%; Fisher's exact test P , .05), mouthing of people (11% vs 37%; c 2 5 7.15; P , .01), begging for food (17% vs 42%; c 2 5 5.31; P , .05), or demanding food from the table (0% vs 12%; Fisher's exact test P , .05). Moreover, the experimental group showed less aggressive behaviors toward unknown people (26% vs 2%; Fisher's exact test P , .01) and dogs (16% vs 2%; Fisher's exact test P , .05). The advice provided was effective in diminishing the incidence of undesirable behaviors in the dogs stud-ied. The positive effect of a behaviorist's advice is remarkable given that the puppies in the experimental group had remained with their mother and littermates for less than 2 months, which is believed to be a high-risk condition for development of behavioral disorders.
Objective:
To examine anti-stress-like properties of oxytocin as a means to improve conditioned avoidance learning in a low-performing, high-emotional, stock of Sprague-Dawley male rats.
Methods:
Adult male rats of two stocks of the Sprague-Dawley strain, designated Stock A and Stock B, were treated daily with oxytocin (1 mg kg(-1) s. c.) for 5 days preceding four daily conditioned avoidance acquisition sessions (approximately 20 trials per 15 min session). The Stock B animals were previously characterized as high-emotional based on [1] elevated plasma corticosterone, and lowered plasma oxytocin, levels and [2] decreased reaction time and an increased startle amplitude to an acoustic stimulation. Finally, [3] these animals were unable to acquire a conditioned avoidance response within 5 days of training.
Results:
The Stock A animals rapidly and statistically significantly acquired the avoidance behaviour within 4 days of daily training, whereas Stock B animals did not improve over this time period. The avoidance performance of Stock B animals was markedly and statistically significantly improved by the oxytocin pre-treatment, whereas the performance of Stock A animals was not affected by the same oxytocin treatment.
Conclusions:
Pre-treatment with oxytocin markedly improved avoidance learning in the Stock B high-emotional animals. It is suggested that the improvement is due to previously demonstrated anti-stress-like properties of oxytocin, rendering the animals able to successfully cope with the demands of the conditioned avoidance situation.
Stress parameters that can be measured noninvasively may help to identify poor welfare in dogs that live in private homes and institutions. Behavioural parameters are potentially useful to identify stress, but require further investigation to establish which behaviours are appropriate. In the present study, behaviours were recorded and analysed for signs of acute stress in dogs. Simultaneously, saliva cortisol and heart rate were measured to support the interpretation of the behavioural data with regard to stress. Ten dogs of either sex, different ages and various breeds were each subjected to six different stimuli: sound blasts, short electric shocks, a falling bag, an opening umbrella and two forms of restraint. Each type of stimulus had been selected for its assumed aversive properties and was administered intermittently for 1 min. The stimuli that could not be anticipated by the dogs, sound blasts, shocks and a falling bag, tended to induce saliva cortisol responses and a very low posture. The remainder of the stimuli, which were administered by the experimenter visibly to the dog, did not change the cortisol levels but did induce restlessness, a moderate lowering of the posture, body shaking, oral behaviours, and to a lesser extent, yawning and open mouth. Pronounced increases in the heart rate were nonspecifically induced by each type of stimulus. Heart rate levels normalized within 8 min after stressor administration had stopped. Saliva cortisol levels decreased to normal within the hour. Correlations between behavioural and physiological stress parameters were not significant. From the present results, we conclude that in dogs a very low posture may indicate intense acute stress since dogs show a very low posture concomitant with saliva cortisol responses. Dogs may typically show increased restlessness, oral behaviours, yawning, open mouth and a moderate lowering of the posture when they experienced moderate stress in a social setting. The nonspecific character of canine heart rate responses complicates its interpretation with regard to acute stress.
The Value of Life is an exploration of the actual and perceived importance of biological diversity for human beings and society. Stephen R. Kellert identifies ten basic values, which he describes as biologically based, inherent human tendencies that are greatly influenced and moderated by culture, learning, and experience. Drawing on 20 years of original research, he considers: the universal basis for how humans value nature differences in those values by gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, and geographic location how environment-related activities affect values variation in values relating to different species how vlaues vary across cultures policy and management implications Throughout the book, Kellert argues that the preservation of biodiversity is fundamentally linked to human well-being in the largest sense as he illustrates the importance of biological diversity to the human sociocultural and psychological condition.
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between four personality traits (calmness, trainability, dog sociability and boldness) of dogs (Canis familiaris) and dog and owner demographics on a large sample size with 14,004 individuals. German speaking dog owners could characterize their dog by filling out a form on the Internet. There were five demographic variables for dogs and nine for owners. Two statistical methods were used for investigating the associations between personality and demographic traits: the more traditional general linear methods and regression trees that are ideal for analyzing non-linear relationships in the structure of the data. The results showed that calmness is influenced primarily by the dog's age, the neutered status, the number of different types of professional training courses (e.g. obedience, agility) the dog had experienced and the age of acquisition. The least calm dogs were less than 2.5 years old, neutered and acquired after the first 12 weeks of age, while the calmest dogs were older than 6.9 years. Trainability was affected primarily by the training experiences, the dog's age, and the purpose of keeping the dog. The least trainable dogs had not received professional training at all and were older than 3 years. The most trainable dogs were those who participated in three or more types of professional training. Sociability toward conspecifics was mainly determined by the age, sex, training experience and time spent together. The least sociable dogs were older than 4.8 years and the owners spent less than 3h with the dog daily. The most sociable dogs were less than 1.5 years old. Males were less sociable toward their conspecifics than females. Boldness was affected by the sex and age of the dog and the age of acquisition. The least bold were females acquired after the age of 1 year or bred by the owner. The boldest dogs were males, acquired before the age of 12 weeks, and were younger than 2 years old. Other variables, including the owner's gender, age, education, previous experience with dogs, the number of people and dogs in the household, and purpose of keeping the dogs had minor, but detectable effects. The results suggest that on-line questionnaires are a very effective means for collecting data about dog behavior, especially if owners are motivated by instant feedback. However, note that the characteristics of dogs in the present study were reported by the owners, and the associations with the traits do not necessarily represent a causal relationship.
In the paper we investigate how owner personality, attitude and gender influence dog behavior, dyadic practical functionality and the level of dog salivary cortisol. In three meetings, 12 female and 10 male owners of male dogs answered questionnaires including the Neo-FFI human personality inventory. Their dyadic behavior was video-taped in a number of test situations, and saliva samples were collected. Owners who scored highly in neuroticism (Neo-FFI dimension one) viewed their dogs as social supporters and spent much time with them. Their dogs had low baseline cortisol levels, but such dyads were less successful in the operational task. Owners who scored highly in extroversion (Neo-FFI dimension two) appreciated shared activities with their dogs which had relatively high baseline cortisol values. Dogs that had female owners were less sociable-active (dog personality axis 1) than dogs that had male owners. Therefore, it appears that owner gender and personality influences dyadic interaction style, dog behavior and dyadic practical functionality.
A comparative analysis was made of the public's attitudes toward the use of animals in scientific research in 15 different nations. The intensity of opposition to animal research was found to vary from relatively low levels in Japan and the United States to much higher levels in France, Belgium, and Great Britain. More women than men were opposed to animal research in all 15 nations. Scientific knowledge, or the lack of knowledge, was not found to have a consistent relationship with attitudes toward animal research. Concern about the environment was found to be related to opposition to animal research in some western European nations, in particular West Germany. Cluster analysis was used to group the nations into four patterns based on intensity of opposition, level of opposition, gender differences in opposition, and the relationship between attitudes toward animal research and both environmental concern and scientific knowledge.