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A survey of public attitudes towards barking dogs in New Zealand
Abstract
Aims:
To investigate public attitudes towards barking dogs in New Zealand in order to quantify the extent to which people perceive barking dogs to be a problem, to compare tolerance of barking with that of other common suburban noises, to assess the level of public understanding about the function of barking, to determine risk factors for intolerance of barking and to assess knowledge of possible strategies for the investigation and management of problem barking.
Methods:
A 12-page questionnaire was sent to 2,000 people throughout New Zealand randomly selected from the electoral roll. Risk factors for being bothered by barking were examined using logistic regression analysis.
Results:
A total of 1,750 questionnaires were successfully delivered; of these, 727 (42%) were returned. Among respondents, 356/727 (49.0%) indicated that frequent barking during the day would bother them while 545/727 (75.0%) would be bothered by barking at night. Barking and howling were ranked above other suburban noises as a cause of annoyance. Risk factors for being bothered by daytime barking were not being home during the day, not owning a dog, and considering a dog bite to be a serious health risk. Risk factors for being bothered by night-time barking were not being home during the day, marital status, considering dog bites to pose a serious health risk, and having been frightened by a dog. Overall, 510/699 (73%) respondents understood that barking was a form of communication. Action likely to be taken by 666 respondents hearing frequent barking included notifying and offering to help the owner (119; 17.8%), complaining to the owner (127; 19.1%) or the authorities (121; 18.2%), or doing nothing (299; 48%). Possible responses by 211 dog owners if they had a barking dog included seeking help from dog trainers (59; 28%) or behaviourists (54; 26%), buying an anti-barking device (33; 15%) or getting rid of the dog (20; 10%).
Conclusions:
Barking was considered to be potentially disturbing by respondents to this survey. Attitudes towards barking were most influenced by age, dog ownership, past experience with dogs and attitude towards dog bites. Public understanding of the possible reasons for barking and appropriate methods of managing the behaviour when it becomes a problem could be improved by better education and the provision of information through veterinary clinics and social media.
... In the framework of the present study, we assumed an overall positive effect of oxytocin on the participants' affective empathy, and we assumed an attenuating effect of oxytocin on the participants' reactions to the attention-grabbing ('alarm') vocalizations. According to our first hypothesis, nuisance barks [30,51] cause stress through their unique acoustic structure [32,52], thus we predicted that intranasal oxytocin, through its stress-attenuator effect [53], would lessen the elicited nuisance in the listeners. Our second hypothesis considered that the oxytocin would affect how participants would react to the emotional content of dog barks. ...
... However, in the case of the group treated with oxytocin, there was no such difference between tonal and atonal barks. It can be assumed that oxytocin-treatment detectably reduced the stressenhancing and intervention-inducing effect [52][53] of nuisance barks [30,51]. On the other hand, it is important to note that oxytocin only had an annoyance-reducing effect in the case of certain acoustic parameters. ...
... Our results emphasize that dogs can cause acoustic disturbance, not only because their barks are excessively abundant or loud, but also due to evolution causing dog barks to have specifically effective attention eliciting dual purpose attributes (informative-alarm and inner state-emotion), that causes humans to automatically want to investigate the reasons for the barking event. When there is a complaint issued about an excessively barking dog [51,64], an ethological approach would be required to evaluate the situation, as well as registering the duration, volume and timing of the barking events. During the assessment, the situations when the dog most often barks (eliciting factors) should also be analyzed, as well as the acoustic parameters and unique characteristics of the barking event. ...
Background
Barks play an important role in interspecific communication between dogs and humans, by allowing a reliable perception of the inner state of dogs for human listeners. However, there is growing concern in society regarding the nuisance that barking dogs cause to the surrounding inhabitants. We assumed that at least in part, this nuisance effect can be explained by particular communicative functions of dog barks. In this study we experimentally tested two separate hypotheses concerning how the content of dog barks could affect human listeners. According to the first hypothesis, barks that convey negative inner states, would especially cause stress in human listeners due to the process called interspecific empathy. Based on the second hypothesis, alarm-type dog barks cause particularly strong stress in the listener, by capitalizing on their specific acoustic makeup (high pitch, low tonality) that resembles to the parameters of a baby’s cry. We tested 40 healthy, young adult males in a double-blind placebo controlled experiment, where participants received either intranasal oxytocin or placebo treatment. After an incubation period, they had to evaluate the (1) perceived emotions (happiness, fear and aggression), that specifically created dog bark sequences conveyed to them; and (2) score the annoyance level these dog barks elicited in them.
Results
We found that oxytocin treatment had a sensitizing effect on the participants’ reactions to negative valence emotions conveyed by dog barks, as they evaluated low fundamental frequency barks with higher aggression scores than the placebo-treated participants did. On the other hand, oxytocin treatment attenuated the annoyance that noisy (atonal) barks elicited from the participants.
Conclusions
Based on these results, we provide first-hand evidence that dog barks provide information to humans (which may also cause stress) in a dual way: through specific attention-grabbing functions and through emotional understanding.
... Despite its assumed role in dog-human interspecific communication, 'excessive' dog barking is often considered a nuisance in urban areas (Senn and Lewin 1975;Attenborough et al. 1976; Utley and Buller 1988;Murray 2003;Flint et al. 2013Flint et al. , 2014. Based on reports about noise, to the Institution of Environmental Health (in England), reported that almost 30% of complaints were about dog barking. ...
... Utley and Buller (1988) concluded that dog barking makes a significant contribution to urban noise pollution. Flint et al. (2014) investigated some of the factors affecting public attitudes toward barking dogs in New Zealand and documented a clear divide in attitudes towards dog barking, whereby people living in rural environments were more 'tolerant' of dog barking than residents of city flats. ...
... Regarding the residential area of the participants, based on the results of Flint et al. (2014), we hypothesize that people from the countryside will evaluate the bark sequences with lower nuisance scores than the residents of urban flats. Finally, based on the responses of a balanced sample of participants from various age groups and residential areas, we wanted to conduct a more reliable acoustic comparison between the information content of dog barks with high and low scores of annoyance. ...
Dog barks represent a major source of noise pollution worldwide. However, the exact reasons why dog barks annoy people and why particular people show stronger reactions to dog barks than other noises, are poorly understood. In a sound playback study, we tested Hungarian participants (N= 153) from three age groups and three residential areas. Each participant was tested with 12 different bark sequences, assembled from original barks, based on their pitch, inter-bark intervals and tonality. Subjects rated each sequence according to the degree of annoyance caused by the barks and also to the apparent inner state of the dog. The results showed that the residential area did not have an effect on annoyance ratings. However, compared to children and older adults, young adults found high-pitched barks to be the most annoying. This finding is consistent with earlier results of the effects of baby cries on humans. The most annoying barks showed unique acoustical structures (high pitch, low tonality), this combination was not associated with the extremities of any other emotional scales. We assume that the strong attention eliciting effect of particular barks could be one of the evolutionary reasons why barking has become the main vocalization of the dog during domestication.
... Лай, скуление и вой расцениваются как одни из наиболее раздражающих видов шума в условиях города. В качестве ключевых факторов риска избыточных вокализаций в дневное и ночное время рассматриваются молодой возраст собаки, совместное проживание животных, породные особенности, длительное отсутствие владельцев и возможности свободного выгула [19,20]. При этом не менее 15 % владельцев собак готовы приобрести устройства или иные средства для информирования об избыточном лае и возможности его предотвращения [20]. ...
... В качестве ключевых факторов риска избыточных вокализаций в дневное и ночное время рассматриваются молодой возраст собаки, совместное проживание животных, породные особенности, длительное отсутствие владельцев и возможности свободного выгула [19,20]. При этом не менее 15 % владельцев собак готовы приобрести устройства или иные средства для информирования об избыточном лае и возможности его предотвращения [20]. ...
Introduction. Canine behaviour, socialization and interaction of dogs with humans are the key factors to be assessed among the risks inducing the increase of incidents related with development of anxiety in dogs. First of all, the lack of knowledge about the reasons of problem behaviour in animals and the high individual variability of behavioural patterns explain the relevance of this work. Moreover, the different methods used by the practitioners and absence of traceability of the owneranimal interaction record lead to the incorrect accumulation of diverse information about the identification and correction of companion dogs’ problem behaviour. The authors of this article aimed to develop a device for registering anxious and aggressive behaviour in dogs by analysing the intervalograms and spectrograms of vocalizations.
Materials and Methods. The recordings of canine vocalizations (250 recordings) were obtained as a result of authors' observations carried out in Rostov-on-Don in the period from spring to autumn 2021. The growth of signal intensity was detected by a noise sensor or microphone. The amplitude and duration of the signal were determined by a microcontroller. The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) was used for writing a programme and flashing the microcontroller. The timers calculating the number of milliseconds from the beginning to the end of an event were implemented in the programme, also, the counters measuring the number of the events within a certain period of time were used.
Results. A flowchart of the device for registering and classifying canine vocalizations, which are considered to be the behavioural anxiety markers, has been developed and described. The algorithm for assessing the type of animal activity during vocalization has been suggested. The device prototype has been developed, which enables determination and sending to a Telegram chat bot the data on dog’s anxiety and activity, as well as on the ambient temperature, based on the calculation and analysis of the vocalizations intervalograms.
Discussion and Conclusion. The significance of the present development lies in creation of the hardware and software complex prototype that provides the unbiased analysis of the information about changes in canine behaviour in the real time. The implementation of this complex makes it possible to assess the canine behaviour and provides the opportunity to obtain the new data on probability of behavioural disorders in animals caused by a high level of anxiety. The complex can serve as a prototype for creating the systems for tracking and identifying other animal species’ behaviour (including in the urban settings).
... There have also been a number of studies to examine how barking might be monitored and addressed, hinting at a need to critically examine regulatory treatments of nuisance barking (Bragdon and Miller 1978;Flint et al. 2013;Raglus et al. 2015). Dog bark nuisance has been examined as it affects the broader fields of housing and common law (Huss 2005), however the regulation of barking dog nuisance has not been researched by scholars in any comprehensive way (Flint et al. 2014). ...
... Whereas there is a clear need for further studies, an existing body of research does exist. Flint et al. (2014) describe a strong nexus between regulation and community education. Miller and Howell (2008) on the other hand curiously delineate 'management' from 'enforcement' and opine that a softer approach may be more effective in treating nuisance. ...
Background:
This study examines the effectiveness of animal management from a critical theory perspective, establishing a framework to describe the animal management activities of local government. In creating sustainable cities, local government must critically engage with the management of other species which live alongside humans. Despite around 40 % of Australian households owning a dog, there is relatively scarce scholarly attention paid to animal management as a subject in its own right. There are numerous studies examining the need to regulate dogs, however there are relatively few studies which examine the effectiveness of regulation.
Results:
This study adopts interpretive qualitative content analyses of documentary and interview accounts to critically describe the practice of animal management and suggest why it takes place the way it does. An ontological-methodological framework is introduced to frame the practice of animal management, relating the methodology of animal management to the underlying ontological orientation of local government. This study highlights some institutional conditions which allow particular animal management activities to flourish. Enforcement of barking dog nuisance and responsible dog ownership education are shown to demonstrate attributes of regulatory success. Conversely, enforcement of effective control and community education processes demonstrate some attributes of regulatory failure.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates how institutional ontology and methodology affect the practice of animal management. This study provides animal management officers and local government with a means to critically examine particular approaches to animal management in practice, offering an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of animal management functions in local government. In contributing to improving the awareness of local government as to how they plan for and manage dogs, this study contributes to a broader community consideration of dogs as a beneficial part of society.
... This brings a new perspective to the view of dogs as social lubricants (Wells, 2004): implying that in certain situations dogs can introduce a degree of social friction. Other situations in which dogs have been found to bring people into conflict include dog fouling (Wells, 2006), barking (Flint et al., 2014), presence at playgrounds (Wilson, 2014), and wildlife disturbance (Lord et al., 2001). ...
... Whining also occurred significantly more during the separation test compared to the baseline timepoint. This behavior has also been reported previously, with increases in vocalization when an owner leaves their dog (67,68). A limitation of the present study is that the dogs involved are not "owned" although they do form attachments with staff, and during this study a familiar caregiver left them in the test space. ...
Many dogs experience stress when separated from their caregivers, as well as when traveling in vehicles. Pet owners employ various approaches to managing these issues, from training, to giving medications and supplements, often with mixed results. Cannabidiol (CBD) can alleviate stress and anxiety in humans but the effect it has on canine stress is less well-documented. The present study aimed to understand the impact of being left alone and traveling in a car on measures of canine stress, and establish whether a single dose of a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-free CBD distillate could positively influence any measures of stress. In a blinded, parallel design study, a population of dogs were either left alone in a familiar room (n = 21) or underwent a short car journey (n = 19). A range of physiological and behavioral measures were collected pre, during and post-test. Significant changes in several stress-related measures (serum cortisol, mean ear temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, whining and a stressed/anxious behavioral factor) were observed from baseline to test, with the car journey test paradigm eliciting a more pronounced stress response overall. The mitigating effect of CBD treatment varied by measure and test, with some indicating a significant reduction in canine stress compared to the placebo group. Additional research is required to fully understand the complex effect of CBD on canine wellbeing.
... Urbanized areas may be characterized by the sounds of domesticated animals (i.e., pets and livestock). Dogs bark to greet conspecifics and humans, during play (i.e., excitement), when raising alarm, or when seeking attention (Yin and McCowan 2004), sometimes to the nuisance of the neighborhood (Flint et al. 2014). Barks are short acoustic signals with main energy between 300 Hz and 2.5 kHz ( Fig. 7.9), often repeated in bouts (Yin and McCowan 2004). ...
Soundscapes have been likened to acoustic landscapes, encompassing all the acoustic features of an area. The sounds that make up a soundscape can be grouped according to their source into biophony (sounds from animals), geophony (sounds from atmospheric and geophysical events), and anthropophony (sounds from human activities). Natural soundscapes have changed over time because of human activities that generate sound, alter land-use patterns, remove animals from natural settings, and result in climate change. These human activities have direct and indirect effects on animal distribution patterns and (acoustic) behavior. Consequently, current soundscapes may be very different from those a few hundred years ago. This is of concern as natural soundscapes have ecological value. Losing natural soundscapes may, therefore, result in a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The study of soundscapes can identify ecosystems undergoing change and potentially document causes (such as noise from human activities). Methods for studying soundscapes range from listening and creating visual (spectrographic) displays to the computation of acoustic indices and advanced statistical modeling. Passive acoustic recording has become an ecological tool for research, monitoring, and ultimately conservation management. This chapter introduces terrestrial and aquatic soundscapes, soundscape analysis tools, and soundscape management.
... wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/vms3 psychological distress when dogs bark at night. The results of a questionnaire survey denoted that 545 (75%) of 727 valid responses indicated that the responders experienced night barking of dogs, which was indicated to be more unpleasant than all other noises such as sounds of a lawn mower, children shouting, baby crying, motorbike revving, and skill saw (Flint et al., 2014). There has been an increase in consultations from owners whose dogs have CDS due to ageing and the associated implication of night barking. ...
With the aging of pet dogs, there has been an increasing trend in senility‐related diseases; additionally, cognitive disorders accompanied by abnormal behaviours are a major burden for owners. Recently, there have been a series of consultations regarding the fact that night barking, which is an abnormal behaviour, remarkably interferes with the owner's sleep and adversely affects the owner's quality of life. However, there has been no effective solution to this problem. In this study, three aged pet dogs diagnosed with dementia were administered an equine placental extract (eqPE) as pet supplement, which has been shown in laboratory models to improve cognitive function. Consequently, night barking ceased 1 week after the administration of eqPE in case 2 and it was observed to decrease in the other two dogs. Furthermore, night barking disappeared 2 and 3 weeks after the administration of eqPE in cases 1 and 3, respectively. No recurrence or exacerbation of night barking was observed in the three cases treated with the eqPE, and no adverse events were observed. These results suggest that eqPE may be useful for improving night barking in pet dogs with dementia, and it is expected to be a new treatment method.
... Because of the above-mentioned habit, stray dogs are able to access more food sources. The ndings of noise pollution were consistent with a survey of public attitudes towards barking dogs in New Zealand [31], which mentioned the unavailability of people who were not home during other times of the day. Thus, they encountered less noise pollution than in the time periods of 18.01-0.00. ...
Stray dog population leads to problems, which are directly related to humans and the environment, has transformed stray dog issues from a third world problem to a global, public health priority. Hence, this study aimed to determine factors related to the feeding of stray dogs and other factors, which influence the results of stray dogs-related problems. This was a community based cross-sectional study, performed in Bangdan village, Songkhla, Thailand. Data were collected through phone interviews. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to measure the association between the independent variables and the problems-related with stray dogs. Among 168 participants, 137 participants (81.5%) were bothered by problems caused by stray dogs. The most common problem reported was garbage scavenging (62.5%), which occurred predominantly from the hours of 6 pm. to Midnight. Feeding stray dogs was significantly associated with stray dog-related problems (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.94 with 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-17.41). However, other factors; such as, gender, length of stay and owning pets had no statistically significant association. In conclusion, feeding stray dogs was significantly associated with stray dog-related problems, with garbage scavenging being the most common problem reported.
... As well as the negative effect on the dog's quality of life, these behaviours can disrupt the human-animal bond significantly and can create problems in the community. Barking can cause disputes with neighbours and local councils (Flint et al., 2014), while the destruction of property can cause problems with landlords or financial losses. Owners may attribute the signs of their dogs' distress to other emotions, e.g., 53% of owners who relinquished their dogs to shelters believe their dog could act out of spite (Salmon et al., 1998). ...
Separation-related behaviours are reported in an estimated 14–29% of companion dogs. To investigate risk factors for these behaviours, owners were asked to complete a questionnaire, largely based on the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), to report the behaviour of golden retrievers (n = 266) and Labrador retrievers (n = 247). Statistical analysis identified significant correlations between separation-related behaviour (SRB) scores with a group of traits including attachment and attention-seeking behaviour (rs = 0.43, P < 0.001), excitability (rs = 0.38, P < 0.001), non-social fear (rs = 0.34, P < 0.001), and touch sensitivity (rs = 0.32, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified source of acquisition, age, breed, sex and neuter status as significant predictors of the presence of SRB. SRB was more likely to be present in dogs acquired from pet shops and shelters than in those from service organisations or breeders. SRB was most likely to be seen in castrated males and least likely to be seen in intact males Future research should focus on the relative impact of risk factors we have identified here. This will facilitate early recognition of behavioural predictors, and prompt owners to seek professional help to alleviate distress in their dogs.
Free-roaming dogs (FRD) represent a large proportion of the canine population in India and are often implicated as a source of conflict with humans. However, objective data on the attitudes and perceptions of local communities toward FRD are lacking. This study collected baseline data from 1141 households in Goa, India, on FRD feeding practices and assessed people’s attitudes toward FRD in urban and rural communities. Additionally, respondents identified problems caused by FRD and proposed potential solutions.
The study reported that 37% of respondents fed FRD with dog owners and Hindus being the most likely to feed. The majority of respondents agreed FRD were a menace (57%), a nuisance (58%) and scary (60%). Most respondents also agreed FRD were a vulnerable population (59%), that belong in communities (66%) and have a right to live on the streets (53%). Barking was the most commonly reported problem associated with FRD and the preferred solution was to impound FRD in shelters. This study reveals the complex and often misunderstood relationship between local communities and FRD and highlights potential strategies to reduce human–dog conflict.
Separation-related behaviour problems are common in domestic dogs. Vocalization is one of the most common symptoms in dogs, and neighbors often complain about dog barking and howling. We investigated the effect of digital application Digital Dogsitter® on the dogs’ vocalization (barking, howling, whining) when left alone. Digital Dogsitter® is an application, used via laptop or pc, and it activates as a reaction to the dog’s vocalization and then plays a short owner-recorded feedback. Altogether 40 participants who had a laptop/pc at home and a dog that suffered from separation related symptoms, specifically vocalization, completed the study. Dogs’ vocalization (when alone at home) was recorded before and after using Digital Dogsitter® for two weeks, in order to investigate whether Digital Dogsitter® reduces dog’s vocalization. The amount of total dog vocalization noise (in milliseconds) was significantly reduced (P < 0.001, N = 40) after using Digital Dogsitter® for two weeks. The reduction in the dogs’ vocalization after Digital Dogsitter® was 95.7%, which is very large compared to earlier studies. Owners’ opinions were also asked, and only 9.4% of the owners felt that no improvement was seen. Finally, we wanted to know, whether the effect of Digital Dogsitter® was long lasting, and sent a questionnaire to participants an average of eight months after the first study. Out of 35 participants that responded, 68.7% felt that Digital Dogsitter® did reduce the vocalization either rather well / extremely well, and only 14.3% felt, that no long-lasting effect was noticed. In addition, after eight months the owners also reported significantly less dogs’ destructive behavior compared to the starting situation. Digital Dogsitter® clearly reduces dogs’ vocalization, possibly also alleviating the separation-related stress.
Ruusila, V. & Pesonen, M. 2004: Interspecific cooperation in human (Homo sapiens) hunting: the benefits of a barking dog (Canis familiaris). — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 545-549. The first wild animal humans domesticated was the wolf (Canis lupus). The benefits of dog presence for human hunting success is often mentioned as a probable factor initiating the domestication of the wolf. We compared the per-hunter moose (Alces alces) hunting success of four hunter groups of different sizes with and without a dog. Groups with a dog had a higher hunting success for every group size. The difference was most pronounced for the smallest group (< 10 hunters) — hunters with a dog obtained 56% more prey than those without a dog. Indeed, the mean hunting success was the highest for the smallest groups with a dog. Among larger groups, hunting suc- cess was independent of the group size regardless of whether or not a dog was present. In groups over ten hunters, hunting success correlated with the number of dogs. The benefit of hunting with a dog had a density-dependent pattern: the benefit increased when moose density was low. Our results give quantitative support to the hypothesis that the benefits of cooperative hunting was a potentially important factor in the wolf domestication process.
Dog barks are typically a mixture of regular components and irregular (noisy) components. The regular part of the signal is given by a series of harmonics and is most probably due to regular vibrations of the vocal folds, whereas noise refers to any nonharmonic (irregular) energy in the spectrum of the bark signal. The noise components might be due to chaotic vibrations of the vocal-fold tissue or due to turbulence of the air. The ratio of harmonic to nonharmonic energy in dog barks is quantified by applying the harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR). Barks of a single dog breed were recorded in the same behavioral context. Two groups of dogs were considered: a group of ten healthy dogs (the normal sample), and a group of ten unhealthy dogs, i.e., dogs treated in a veterinary clinic (the clinic sample). Although the unhealthy dogs had no voice disease, differences in emotion or pain or impacts of surgery might have influenced their barks. The barks of the dogs were recorded for a period of 6 months. The HNR computation is based on the Fourier spectrum of a 50-ms section from the middle of the bark. A 10-point moving average curve of the spectrum on a logarithmic scale is considered as estimator of the noise level in the bark, and the maximum difference of the original spectrum and the moving average is defined as the HNR measure. It is shown that a reasonable ranking of the voices is achievable based on the measurement of the HNR. The HNR-based classification is found to be consistent with perceptual evaluation of the barks. In addition, a multiparametric approach confirms the classification based on the HNR. Hence, it may be concluded that the HNR might be useful as a novel parameter in bioacoustics for quantifying the noise within a signal.
The authors investigated whether human listeners could categorize played-back dog (Canis familiaris) barks recorded in various situations and associate them with emotional ratings. Prerecorded barks of a Hungarian herding dog breed (Mudi) provided the sample. Human listeners were asked to rate emotionality of the vocalization and to categorize the situations on the basis of alternative situations provided on a questionnaire. The authors found almost no effect of previous experience with the given dog breed or of owning a dog. Listeners were able to categorize bark situations high above chance level. Emotionality ratings for particular bark samples correlated with peak and fundamental frequency and interbark intervals. The authors did not find a significant effect of tonality (harmonic-to-noise ratio) on either the emotionality rating or situation categorization of the human listeners. Humans' ability to recognize meaning suggests that barks could serve as an effective means of communication between dog and human.
Separation-related behaviors are described as problematic behaviors that occur exclusively in the owner's absence or virtual absence. Diagnosis is generally based on indirect evidence such as elimination or destruction that occurs during owner absence. Questionnaire studies are based on owner perception and might therefore underestimate the actual proportion of dogs with separation problems. The aim of this study was to film dogs with separation-related problems when left home alone and compile objective information on behaviors exhibited. Twenty-three dogs, ranging in age from 5 months to 13 years (2.9±22.7 years), were filmed home alone for 20–60min (49.87±12.9min) after owner departure.Analysis of behaviors on tape showed that dogs spent most of their time vocalizing (22.95±12.3% of total observed time) and being oriented to the environment (21±20%). Dogs also exhibited panting (14±18%), were passive (12±27%) and were destroying (6±6%) during owner absence. Most dogs displayed signs within less than 10min after owner departure, such as vocalizing (mean latency 3.25min) and/or destroying (mean latency 7.13min). Barking and oriented to the environment tended to decrease (respectively p=0.08 and p=0.07) and conversely panting tended to increase over time (p=0.07).Diagnosis of separation-related problems is traditionally dependant on owner reports. Although owner observation may be informative, direct observation and standardized behavioral measurement of dogs with separation-related problems, before and after treatment, would be the best way to diagnose and to measure behavioral improvement.
Sleep-wake cycles and other night-time behaviours were observed in 24 domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) living in various urban habitats. Recordings of 18 of these animals were made with a video camera under red light. On average, these dogs had 23 sleep-wake episodes during 8 h. The sleep-wake cycles consisted of an average of 16 min asleep and 5 min awake. All dogs were seen in quiet sleep and most dogs were also seen in active sleep. Usually active sleep was followed immediately by spontaneous arousal. As reported in humans and cats, active sleep was suppressed for a night in a dog placed in a new habitat, then it occurred the following 2 nights. On 31 occasions when two or more dogs were sleeping together, they had non-synchronous sleep-wake cycles, with waking only synchronising in response to a strong stimulus. Barking occurred in 13 of the 18 video-recorded dogs and six of these barked more than five times in 8 h. Nine of the 14 dog owners unwittingly disrupted the sleep of their dogs. The pattern of sleeping and waking in dogs was quite different from that known to occur in humans. These different sleep patterns sometimes led to dogs being a nuisance to people in the neighbourhood, but were welcomed by owners who kept their dog for protection as well as companionship.
African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) pup vocalizations were studied in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe for weeks 3 through 7 of the socialization period. Here we present the vocal repertoire, including the use of repetitive and mixed sounds, and investigate the extent to which the emerging sound system of Lycaon conforms to predicted design features of Morton's (MS) motivation-structural rules. Features of the pup sound system are highlighted by comparison with adults and other social canids. Data were collected at three den sites (litter sizes: 8, 8, and 9) of two study packs. A total of 1903 vocalizations were classified, and eight vocal classes and seven subclasses were identified. Although all sounds identified persist into adulthood, observations indicate a delayed onset in some vocal classes, including both the lowest (i.e. rumbles) and highest (i.e. twitters) frequency sounds. As predicted by the (MS) model, pups invested heavily in high frequency, harmonic care/social soliciting sounds (91%, N = 1586 unmixed vocalizations), however, no clear association between acoustic structure and sound repetition was found. Significantly more repetition was heard in all vocal classes with the exception of moans and barks. Intra-pack aggression is generally muted in this obligate social carnivore suggesting that repetition may be a low cost strategy to induce social outcomes and obtain food. The patterning of mixed vocalizations (N = 317) was consistent with the (MS) model. Given the high degree of cooperation necessary for individual survival, the predominant use of cross-mixed sounds may serve to minimize conflict as pups begin to form relationships with littermates and adults. Noisy/noisy sounds were exceptionally rare. Comparative data suggest a relationship between the early patterning of mixed sounds and species-specific social organization in canids.
This study explored the influence of five types of auditory stimulation (human conversation, classical music, heavy metal music, pop music, and a control) on the behaviour of 50 dogs housed in a rescue shelter. The dogs were exposed to each type of auditory stimulation for 4 h, with an intervening period of one day between conditions. The dogs' position in their kennels (front, back), their activity (moving, standing, sitting, resting, sleeping), and their vocalisation (barking, quiet, other) were recorded over 4 h at 10 min intervals during each condition of auditory stimulation. The dogs' activity and vocalisation were significantly related to auditory stimulation. Dogs spent more time resting and less time standing when classical music was played than when any of the other stimuli were played. Exposure to heavy metal music encouraged dogs to spend significantly more of their time barking than did other types of auditory stimulation. Classical music resulted in dogs spending significantly more of their time quiet than did other types of auditory stimulation. It is suggested that the welfare of sheltered dogs may be enhanced through exposure to appropriate forms of auditory stimulation. Classical music appears particularly beneficial, resulting in activities suggestive of relaxation and behaviours that are considered desirable by potential buyers. This form of music may also appeal to visitors, resulting in enhanced perceptions of the rescue shelter's environment and an increased desire to adopt a dog from such a source.
There is limited research relating to urban tourism and the behaviour of visitors within the urban environment. Comparatively few studies of perceptions of safety in urban areas exist. As a result, there is a poor understanding of visitor safety issues, particularly in relation to special events. This paper examines the scope and dimensions of visitor safety during one hallmark sporting event in Auckland, New Zealand during 2000–2001 – the America’s Cup. The research reviews both the existing research on tourist safety and crime in urban areas and establishes the nature and impact of a sporting event on tourist-related crime.
In this study we sought to determine whether dog barks could be divided into subtypes based on context. We recorded barking from 10 adult dogs, Canis familiaris, of six breeds in three different test situations: (1) a disturbance situation in which a stranger rang the doorbell, (2) an isolation situation in which the dog was locked outside or in a room isolated from its owner and (3) a play situation in which either two dogs or a human and a dog played together. We analysed spectrograms of 4672 barks using macros that took 60 sequential frequency measurements and 60 sequential amplitude measurements along the length of the call. Statistical analyses revealed that barks are graded vocalizations that range from harsh, low-frequency, unmodulated calls to harmonically rich, higher-frequency, modulated calls. The harsh, low-frequency, unmodulated barks were more commonly given in the disturbance situation, and the more tonal, higher-pitch, modulated barks were more commonly given in the isolation and play situations. Disturbance barks were also longer in duration with more rapid repetition than the barks given in other contexts. Discriminant analysis revealed that dog barks can be divided into different subtypes based on context even within individual dogs, and that dogs can be identified by their bark spectrograms despite the context of the bark.
The levels of noise from barking dogs in and near representative veterinary hospitals were measured and evaluated to determine their effects on practicing veterinarians, their staffs, clients, and neighbors. Special design criteria to minimize noise levels within the hospitals and dog confinement areas, and to prevent noise travel to other parts of the establishments and to surrounding neighborhoods, were an important element of the study.
Behavioral complaints reported from surveys of dog owners were compared with those from owners whose dogs were examined in referral behavior practices. Types of behaviors that dog owners considered to be problems varied from those only mentioned in surveys to those considered serious enough to seek professional help. The most common complaints listed by owners in surveys included territorial aggression, excessive protection of the owner, and excessive vocalization. Problems reported for referred behavior cases were aggression, especially dominance-related, and house soiling. Types of referral cases reported in the literature were similar to those examined at a university behavior clinic, but distribution of problems varied.
Oscillatory signals in human magnetoencephalogram were investigated as correlates of cortical network activity in response to sound lateralization changes. Previously, we found lateralized presentations of a monosyllabic word to elicit posterior temporo-parietal gamma-band activity, possibly reflecting synchronization of neuronal assemblies in putative auditory dorsal stream areas. In addition, beta activity was decreased over sensorimotor regions, suggesting the activation of motor networks involved in orientating. The present study investigated responses to lateralization changes of both a barking dog sound and a distorted noise to test whether beta desynchronization would depend on the sound's relevance for orientating. Eighteen adults listened passively to 900 samples of each sound in separate location mismatch paradigms with midline standards and both right- and left-lateralized deviants. Lateralized distorted noises were accompanied by enhanced spectral amplitude at 58-73 Hz over right temporo-parietal cortex. Left-lateralized barking dog sounds elicited right and right-lateralized sounds elicited bilateral temporo-parietal spectral amplitude increases at approximately 77 Hz. This replicated the involvement of posterior temporo-parietal areas in auditory spatial processing. Only barking dog sounds, but not distorted noises, gave rise to 30 Hz desynchronization over contralateral sensorimotor areas, parieto-frontal gamma coherence increases and beta coherence reductions between sensorimotor and prefrontal sensors. Apparently passive listening to lateralized natural sounds with a potential biological relevance led to an activation of motor networks involved in the automatic preparation for orientating. Parieto-frontal coherence increases may reflect enhanced coupling of networks involved in the integration of auditory spatial and motor processes.
Annoyance caused by a barking dog
- M Verga
- C Palestrini
Verga M, Palestrini C. Annoyance caused by a barking dog. A case report. Summa
19(7), 73-4, 2002
- K L Overall
*Overall KL. Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals. Mosby, St Louis,
USA, 1997
Human listeners are able to classify dog (Canis familiaris) barks recorded in different situations
- P Pongrácz
- C Molnár
- A Miklósi
- V Csányl
Pongrácz P, Molnár C, Miklósi A, Csányl V. Human listeners are able to classify
dog (Canis familiaris) barks recorded in different situations. Journal of
Comparative Psychology 119, 136-44, 2005