DOCSLIB.ORG

A Review of Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Review of Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) JOURNAL OF THE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR 2008, 89, 247–261 NUMBER 2(MARCH) A REVIEW OF DOMESTIC DOGS’ (CANIS FAMILIARIS) HUMAN-LIKE BEHAVIORS: OR WHY BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS SHOULD STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THEIR DOGS MONIQUE A. R. UDELL AND C. D. L. WYNNE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Dogs likely were the first animals to be domesticated and as such have shared a common environment with humans for over ten thousand years. Only recently, however, has this species’ behavior been subject to scientific scrutiny. Most of this work has been inspired by research in human cognitive psychology and suggests that in many ways dogs are more human-like than any other species, including nonhuman primates. Behavior analysts should add their expertise to the study of dog behavior, both to add objective behavioral analyses of experimental data and to effectively integrate this new knowledge into applied work with dogs. Key words: gestures, object permanence, theory of mind, social cognition, dogs _______________________________________________________________________________ DOGS IN HUMAN SOCIETY the domestic dogs’ home environment, could play a crucial role in maximizing the quality of ‘‘That the dog is a loyal, true, and affectionate friend our interactions with dogs in a variety of must be gratefully admitted, but when we come to settings. consider the psychical nature of the animal, the limits Humans and dogs share a long intertwined of our knowledge are almost immediately reached’’ – history. DNA evidence suggests domestic dogs Sir John Lubbock. (1889, p. 272) most likely diverged from wolves in different places at different times beginning as long as Our Intertwined Past 135,000 years ago (Vila et al., 1997). This is Sir John Lubbock’s opinion, outdated when the morphological structure of certain though its language may be, is not an groups of wolves began to change to more inappropriate summary of the state of research closely resemble the modern domestic dog. Anthropologists and archaeologists have ar- on dog behavior today. Domestic dogs are gued that this is an overestimate, claiming that never far away from most people’s lives, but the best way to determine the time of objective understanding of their behavior is domestication is to look for signs of a close still surprisingly scarce. association between dogs and humans (Morey, A better understanding of the variables 2006). One way this has been done is by controlling dog (Canis familiaris) behavior looking for evidence of dog burials. The could have practical importance for the earliest burial remains of a domestic dog are growing number of industries that utilize the 14,000 years old and were found in Bonn- behavior of domestic dogs—not only in formal Oberkassel, Germany (Nobis, 1979). The training settings, such as police dogs, drug- dimensions of the well-preserved lower jaw sniffer dogs, guide dogs, and so forth—but and teeth suggest that this animal was domes- also in the public realm, where the line ticated and could be compared to a small between the love of man’s best friend and sheep dog, making it the oldest known the fear of so-called ‘‘bad dogs’’ is a source of domesticated animal and a companion of the great anxiety. In addition, a more complete Cro-Magnon Man in the late Paleolithic age understanding of the role of social stimuli, (Nobis, 1979). The time line of dog burials which develops as a result of a natural history around the globe indicates the spread of dog of operant and classical conditioning within domestication at different geographic areas We thank Ray Coppinger, Leonard Green, Bill Roberts, (Morey, 2006). and John Staddon for most helpful comments on a previous draft. Role of Dogs in Human Society Address correspondence to Monique Udell and Clive Wynne, Department of Psychology, University of Florida, The exact location and lineage of the first Gainesville, FL, 32611. Email to [email protected]. domesticated dog are still under debate, but doi: 10.1901/jeab.2008.89-247 the impact that humans have had on the 247 248 MONIQUE A. R. UDELL and C. D. L. WYNNE domestic dog as a species is undeniable. Dogs reporting of dog attacks has been to label play an astonishing range of roles in human certain breeds as ‘‘bad dogs.’’ Malcolm Glad- society. Many individuals put their faith in well (2006) in the New Yorker likened the rescue dogs when stranded in the wilderness profiling of ‘‘dangerous dog’’ breeds to the or capsized in cold water. Others rely on guide racial profiling that has dominated the search dogs to get them safely to multiple destina- for terrorists since September 11th, 2001. As tions on a daily basis. Drug dogs, de-mining with most forms of prejudice and profiling, the dogs, police dogs, termite- and even cancer- banning of specific breeds of dogs from detecting dogs are trained and utilized as municipalities (most commonly at present substance detectors even in the face of the pit bull), fails to effectively identify the competition from the latest technology. There environmental causes of undesired behavior so are herding dogs, hunting dogs, sled dogs, and that positive behavior can be reinforced and various other specializations that are crucial to aggressive behavior controlled with more the livelihoods of many individuals, not to enlightened methods. Breed profiling may mention the role dogs play in entertainment lead not only to a misguided fear of well- and the pleasures of individual dog owner- behaved dogs identified with a ‘‘bad’’ breed, ship—sufficiently reinforcing to sustain 74.8 but may also offer a false sense of security million dogs in the United States, at a cost to around a dog showing warning signs of their owners of over $100 billion (American aggression just because it comes from a breed Pet Products Manufacturers Association, with a good reputation. 2007). However, qualities desired in one specializa- Phylogeny vs. Ontogeny tion may not be appropriate in dogs filling Despite the omnipresence of dogs in human another capacity. For example, the dependen- lives, scientific study of the factors that have cy on human guidance and direction sought in allowed dogs to thrive in human environments companion dogs may inhibit a rescue dog’s has until recently been surprisingly meager. ability to problem solve and function indepen- The causes of the characteristic behaviors of dently in situations when its handler is out of dogs can be understood at two levels. First are sight (Miklo´si, Pongracz, Lakatos, Topa´l, & the phylogenetic influences on behavior that Csa´nyi, 2005). It is important, therefore, to arise as a result of the unique evolutionary past take breed specializations and individual his- of domestic dogs. Second, and perhaps more tory into account when selecting dogs for importantly (at least in the sense that they are specific tasks. The more that is known about available for modification in real time), are the dog behavior, the more that can be done to ontogenetic causes that are the history of make the training of working dogs as efficient contingencies of reinforcement each domestic as possible. dog experiences within human society during A greater understanding of dog behavior its lifetime. also would be beneficial in a society that The phylogeny of dogs is particularly inter- perceives dog attacks and consequent deaths esting because, instead of natural selection by to be a growing problem. The Humane Society the environment, artificial selection by hu- of the United States estimates that 2% of the mans is responsible for the hundreds of breeds population is bitten by a dog each year (over of domestic dog that exist today. There is also six million people) and ten to twenty of these evidence that selection for desirable physical bites are fatal—with the victim usually a child and behavioral traits has led to many changes (Humane Society of the United States, 2007). in social behavior as unexpected byproducts Recently, the Minnesota Department of (Hare & Tomasello, 2005). This has led some Health (2007) reported a 40% increase in scientists to attribute the propensity of dogs the number of hospital treated dog bites for human social interaction to convergent between 1998 and 2005. According to attorney evolution, where the two genetically distinct Kenneth Phillips this increase in medically species were shaped by similar selective pres- treated dog bites is representative of an sures (Hare & Tomasello, 2005). increase in the dog population at large, which There is, of course, no question that genes rose 36% from 1986 to 1994 (Phillips, 2007). play a role in the behavior of domestic dogs, The public response to increased media but a dog’s individual environmental history DOMESTIC DOG BEHAVIOR REVIEW 249 plays a major role in shaping its behavior over reason (Darwin, 1871). Darwin also comment- its lifetime. From the time a puppy is brought ed on how domestication impacted the behav- into a human household it is completely ior of domestic dogs, decreasing their fear of dependent on human caretakers for all of its humans, and he even argued for the evolution needs. The majority of reinforcers a dog will of distinct barks with various meanings. have access to throughout its life are con- Darwin’s neighbor in Downe, Sir John trolled, either directly or indirectly, by hu- Lubbock, was one of the first to carry out mans. This is comparable to the situation of experimental tests of the intelligence of dogs. young human children, and may explain in In the first recorded experiment on nonhu- part the similarities in sensitivity to human man language abilities, Lubbock trained his social stimuli shown by dogs and children. dog, Van, to bring him a card labeled ‘‘food’’ However, unlike children, domestic dogs by reinforcing this response with the presen- remain dependent on humans for primary tation of bread and milk upon retrieval.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Aggression in Dogs an Overview
    Behavior & Training 415.506.6280 Available B&T Services Aggression in Dogs: An Overview What is the behavior? Aggression is a natural behavior, not an aberration. Most aggression is defensive in nature – that is, the dog is reacting to what he perceives as a threat. Behavior is always in flux, and can get worse before it gets better. If your dog is aggressive, you must decide: Whether your dog is too dangerous to work with. Whether the behavior can be kept under control by managing the environment. Whether you have the ability to modify the behavior. Whether you have the time and commitment to do so. Know your dog and his body language - from behind your dog as well as beside or in front. Dogs, after all, often walk ahead of their owner. (Please review our Body Language: Speaking “Dog” handout.) Observe your dog's body language when relaxed. Observe your dog's body language when tense. Observe the DISTANCE between your dog and the object of interest. Observe your dog's body language when he is about to attack. Observe EXACTLY what sets off your dog: children/other dogs/other male or female dogs/men with beards/people in uniform. Know your own response to stress. Note what you or your family members do when your dog looks like he might aggress or when you are worried while with your dog. How do you modify the behavior? This handout will discuss some of the reasons a dog may behave aggressively and is only an overview of aggressive displays. To build an individualized behavior modification program for your dog’s needs, please contact Behavior & Training to schedule a consultation.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparative Study of Free-Roaming Domestic Dog Management and Roaming Behavior Across Four Countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda
    Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2021 Comparative study of free-roaming domestic dog management and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda Warembourg, Charlotte ; Wera, Ewaldus ; Odoch, Terence ; Bulu, Petrus Malo ; Berger-González, Monica ; Alvarez, Danilo ; Abakar, Mahamat Fayiz ; Maximiano Sousa, Filipe ; Cunha Silva, Laura ; Alobo, Grace ; Bal, Valentin Dingamnayal ; López Hernandez, Alexis Leonel ; Madaye, Enos ; Meo, Maria Satri ; Naminou, Abakar ; Roquel, Pablo ; Hartnack, Sonja ; Dürr, Salome Abstract: Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. Dog roaming behavior has been studied worldwide, including countries in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, while studies on dog roaming behavior are lacking in Africa. Many of those studies investigated potential drivers for roaming, which could be used to refine disease control measures. However, it appears that results are often contradictory between countries, which could be caused by differences in study design or the influence of context-specific factors. Comparative studiesondog roaming behavior are needed to better understand domestic dog roaming behavior and address these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate dog demography, management, and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. We equipped 773 dogs with georeferenced contact sensors (106 in Chad, 303 in Guatemala, 217 in Indonesia, and 149 in Uganda) and interviewed the owners to collect information about the dog [e.g., sex, age, body condition score (BCS)] and its management (e.g., role of the dog, origin of the dog, owner-mediated transportation, confinement, vaccination, and feeding practices).
    [Show full text]
  • Train and Certify Service Dogs for Individuals with Disabilities”
    Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation dba Service Dogs for America Types of service dogs PO Box 513 Jud, ND 58454 ABOUT SERVICE DOGS FOR AMERICA Service Dogs for America (SDA) trained its first service dog in 1989 and placed it with SDA’s first client in 1990. In 1992, SDA was officially designated as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. SDA is an accredited service dog school member of Assistance Dogs International. The mission of SDA is to: “train and certify service dogs for individuals with disabilities” The following describes the different types of dogs trained and placed by SDA Mobility Assistance Dog Mobility Assistance Dog ‐ Task Training Assists with (but not limited to) the following types of diseases or Retrieve dropped object. injuries: Open interior/exterior doors. Amputation Retrieve a beverage, medication, or other item from Arthritis a refrigerator. Cerebral Palsy Bring medication and/or a beverage to a person on Multiple Sclerosis command or when alerted to do so by a Muscular Dystrophy timer/alarm. Paraplegia Help a person stand and brace. Parkinson’s Disease Stabilize during walking. Spina Bifida Assist in pulling a manual wheelchair. Stroke Turn lights on or off. Tetraplegia Pull/push/open door, drawer, or cupboard. Traumatic brain or spinal cord injury Operate handicap door switch. Retrieve a phone or other specified object to person’s hand or lap. Get help by alerting another person in the environment. Activate an electronic alert system. Assist a person in removing/putting on clothing. Carry medication, wallet, etc. Dog can perform skills while client is using adaptive equipment such as a wheelchair, scooter, walker or specialized leash or harness.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Dog Behavior & How the Handler Can Influence It For
    Understanding Dog Behavior & How the Handler can Influence it for Better or Worse Sara Heesacker RMC NAHVDA Director of Training A LOOK ON THE INSIDE Frontal Lobe- Involved in intellectual function, multitasking, strategic planning Olfactory bulb - Only sense that goes directly to area in brain Hippocampus - Responsible for value system in dog’s mind THE SENSES TELL THE STORY Taste - Humans 9000 taste buds Dogs 1706 taste buds Hearing -Dogs hear 4 times the distance of humans Sight- Diurnal 6 times weaker eyesight NO PROBLEM FINDING SCENT… It’s about sorting out the multitude of scents that are there already Most critical sense but most difficult for humans to comprehend HORMONES BEHIND LEARNING Dopamine- related to reward and movement Have to search it out and problem solve Endorphins – “runners high” Designed to make you continue to fight Serotonin- linked to emotional balance lick and chew/ replay Cortisol – “stress hormone” Shrinks brain network DOG TOO STRESSED TO EAT TOO STRESSED TO LEARN HOW IT ALL WORKS Cognition requires use of • Mind • Intelligence • Learned behavior How does Obedience PERCEPTION NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Small movements make a big change in dog’s behavior • Unconscious of hands • How we tilt a head • We radiate random signals Dogs watch our eyes • communicate authority READING DOGS DEVELOPING YOUR EYE • Leaning toward me, away from me, standing square over all four paws • Frozen still, breathing normally, breathing too fast with shallow breaths • Corners of mouth (commissure) go forward or backwards • Eyes soft
    [Show full text]
  • Dog Behavior Questionnaire
    365 Saratoga Avenue Ballston Spa, NY 12020 518-885-5650 www.ballstonspavet.com Dog Behavior Questionnaire The process for treating behavior issues involves many important steps. Step 1: Forms must be filled out in detail and returned to the clinic. These will be carefully reviewed by the doctor before your appointment. All of your answers are confidential. The cost for doctor review in preparation for visit and behavior consult is $152.25, paid at form drop-off. Step 2: After receiving forms and payment, the receptionist will schedule the exam, labwork and consultation. Step 3: Bring your pet in for a physical exam, blood and urine tests and the behavior consultation with the doctor. Costs: Physical Exam $ 72.00 Labwork $ 171.00 Behavior Consultation $ 152.25 (pre-paid at step 1) *Additional cost could include medications for physical or behavioral problems. Step 4: At the end of the visit, written material will either be given to you or mailed. Please complete these questions as thoroughly as possible. 1. Dog’s Name ________________________________________________________________________________ Your Name _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Breed ____________________________________________ Color ____________________________________ 3. Age of Pet _________________________________ 4. Date of Birth _______________________________ 5. Sex _______________________________ Spayed or Neutered? Yes No If yes, at what age? __________ Date of surgery? ___________ Reason for neutering? ___________________ Any behavioral changes after neutering? _________________________________________________________ 6. If your dog is not neutered, do you plan to breed him/her? Yes No 7. Has this dog ever been bred? Yes No 8. If female, did she experience heat cycles before neutering? Yes No Age of first heat, if applicable ________________________ Date(s) of heat cycle(s) ____________________________ 9.
    [Show full text]
  • Border Collie Comprehends Object Names As Verbal Referents
    Behavioural Processes 86 (2011) 184–195 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Behavioural Processes journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/behavproc Border collie comprehends object names as verbal referents John W. Pilley a,∗∗, Alliston K. Reid b,∗ a 101 Seal St., Spartanburg, SC 29301, USA b Department of Psychology, Wofford College, 429N. Church St., Spartanburg, SC 29303, USA article info abstract Article history: Four experiments investigated the ability of a border collie (Chaser) to acquire receptive language skills. Received 6 August 2010 Experiment 1 demonstrated that Chaser learned and retained, over a 3-year period of intensive training, Received in revised form the proper-noun names of 1022 objects. Experiment 2 presented random pair-wise combinations of three 16 September 2010 commands and three names, and demonstrated that she understood the separate meanings of proper- Accepted 30 November 2010 noun names and commands. Chaser understood that names refer to objects, independent of the behavior directed toward those objects. Experiment 3 demonstrated Chaser’s ability to learn three common nouns Keywords: – words that represent categories. Chaser demonstrated one-to-many (common noun) and many-to-one Referential understanding Inferential reasoning by exclusion (multiple-name) name–object mappings. Experiment 4 demonstrated Chaser’s ability to learn words Exclusion learning by inferential reasoning by exclusion – inferring the name of an object based on its novelty among Border collie familiar objects that already had names. Together, these studies indicate that Chaser acquired referential Dog understanding of nouns, an ability normally attributed to children, which included: (a) awareness that Receptive language words may refer to objects, (b) awareness of verbal cues that map words upon the object referent, and (c) awareness that names may refer to unique objects or categories of objects, independent of the behaviors directed toward those objects.
    [Show full text]
  • Less Than Exciting Behaviors Associated with Unneutered
    1 c Less Than Exciting ASPCA Behaviors Associated With Unneutered Male Dogs! Periodic binges of household destruction, digging and scratching. Indoor restlessness/irritability. N ATIONAL Pacing, whining, unable to settle down or focus. Door dashing, fence jumping and assorted escape behaviors; wandering/roaming. Baying, howling, overbarking. Barking/lunging at passersby, fence fighting. Lunging/barking at and fighting with other male dogs. S HELTER Noncompliant, pushy and bossy attitude towards caretakers and strangers. Lack of cooperation. Resistant; an unwillingness to obey commands; refusal to come when called. Pulling/dragging of handler outdoors; excessive sniffing; licking female urine. O UTREACH Sexual frustration; excessive grooming of genital area. Sexual excitement when petted. Offensive growling, snapping, biting, mounting people and objects. Masturbation. A heightened sense of territoriality, marking with urine indoors. Excessive marking on outdoor scent posts. The behaviors described above can be attributed to unneutered male sexuality. The male horomone D testosterone acts as an accelerant making the dog more reactive. As a male puppy matures and enters o adolescence his primary social focus shifts from people to dogs; the human/canine bond becomes g secondary. The limited attention span will make any type of training difficult at best. C a If you are thinking about breeding your dog so he can experience sexual fulfillment ... don’t do it! This r will only let the dog ‘know what he’s missing’ and will elevate his level of frustration. If you have any of e the problems listed above, they will probably get worse; if you do not, their onset may be just around the corner.
    [Show full text]
  • AN EXPLORATION of OBJECT-WORD ACQUISITION in CANIS FAMILIARIS By
    AN EXPLORATION OF OBJECT-WORD ACQUISITION IN CANIS FAMILIARIS by Brianna L. Artz A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Psychology Committee: ___________________________________________ Director ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Department Chairperson ___________________________________________ Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Date: _____________________________________ Summer Semester 2019 George Mason University Fairfax, VA An Exploration of Object-Word Acquisition in Canis familiaris A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at George Mason University by Brianna L. Artz Bachelor of Science George Mason University, 2017 Director: Doris Bitler Davis, Professor Department of Psychology Summer Semester 2019 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Copyright 2019 Brianna L. Artz All Rights Reserved ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my amazing grandfather, John H. Cameron. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Kirk and Doris Davis for their endless support of my research dreams. I would also like to thank Erin Murdoch and Linda Chrosniak for their roles as committee members and wonderful mentors. Thank you to Megan Tiller for help entering and organizing my data. Finally, thank you to all of my family and friends who supported me throughout this process. iv TABLE
    [Show full text]
  • Behavioural Risks in Male Dogs with Minimal Lifetime Exposure to Gonadal Hormones May Complicate Population-Control Benefits of Desexing
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing Paul D. McGreevy1*, Bethany Wilson1, Melissa J. Starling1, James A. Serpell2 1 Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2 School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America a1111111111 * [email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract a1111111111 Castration of dogs is a widespread practise with clear justification in population control and knock-on benefits for animal welfare. Deleterious behavioural consequences of castration are believed to be negligible. Gonadectomy is widely recommended as part of a multi-facto- OPEN ACCESS rial approach to prevent problems including aggression in dogs. However, the conse- quences of early castration on health are still being debated. The current study focused on Citation: McGreevy PD, Wilson B, Starling MJ, Serpell JA (2018) Behavioural risks in male dogs the reported behaviour of 6,235 male dogs castrated before 520 weeks of life for reasons with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal other than behavioural management, and calculated their percentage lifetime exposure to hormones may complicate population-control gonadal hormones (PLGH) as a proportion of their age at the time of being reported to the benefits of desexing. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196284. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196284 online Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). Forty behaviors differed between entire and castrated dogs, of which 25 were associated with Editor: Arda Yildirim, Gaziosmanpasa University, TURKEY PLGH and 14 with age-at-castration (AAC).
    [Show full text]
  • Canine-Centered Interface Design: Supporting the Work of Diabetes Alert Dogs Charlotte Robinson1, Clara Mancini1, Janet Van Der Linden1, Claire Guest2, Rob Harris2
    Session: Participatory Design CHI 2014, One of a CHInd, Toronto, ON, Canada Canine-Centered Interface Design: Supporting the Work of Diabetes Alert Dogs Charlotte Robinson1, Clara Mancini1, Janet van der Linden1, Claire Guest2, Rob Harris2 1Open University 2Medical Detection Dogs Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK Great Horwood MK17 0NP, UK {charlotte.robinson, clara.mancini, {claire.guest, rob.harris} janet.vanderlinden} @open.ac.uk @medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk ABSTRACT have been researched and developed which use skin Many people with Diabetes live with the continuous threat conductance or glucose sensors [2, 6]. However, these of hypoglycemic attacks and the danger of going into coma. machines have a certain margin of error and are often not a Diabetes Alert Dogs are trained to detect the onset of an practical stand-alone solution to manage day to day attack before the condition of the human handler they are hypoglycaemic attacks [10]. paired with deteriorates, giving them time to take action. We investigated requirements for designing an alarm As a result, Diabetes Alert Dogs (DAD) have increased in system allowing dogs to remotely call for help when their popularity over the last two decades. DADs are paired with human falls unconscious before being able to react to an human diabetes patients and are trained to warn their alert. Through a multispecies ethnographic approach we owners of oncoming hypoglycaemic attacks, giving them focus on the requirements for a physical canine user time to call for help or take steps to prevent the attack [23]. interface, involving dogs, their handlers and specialist dog Diabetic alert dogs use their olfactory capabilities to detect trainers in the design process.
    [Show full text]
  • Aggression Types Performed by Dogs Registered in an Italian Sanitary District: Preliminary Results
    Aggression types performed by dogs registered in an Italian sanitary district: preliminary results Erika Zannardiab*, Piero Gellib, Roberto Mattellinib a Veterinary behaviorist, b Struttura complessa Sanita Animale Asl 5 La Spezia-Italy Abstract: Aim of this research was to classify the distinct types of canine aggression registered by the public vet- erinary service in a sanitary district of Liguria, Italy (ASL 5 Spezzino, La Spezia - Italy). The data sheets of biter dogs, recorded in the registers of ASL 5, also containing a space to report the accurate description of the aggression that permitted its classification by a veterinary behaviorist were used. The information was obtained examining 1,389 records, referring to the period from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016. The aggressive episodes coded were: irrita- tion (n=137), redirect (n=107), territorial (n=81), protective (n=76), play (n=64), fear (n=48), predatory (n=35), food (n=26), possessive (n=18) and maternal (n=1). Canine aggression is one of the most felt problems by the public opinion and it can constitute a serious danger to the safety of people. In the past, attention was paid to the analysis of the dog bites from different points of view, try- ing to correlate them to the period, the breed and sex of the animal, but little attention was paid to the identification of the type of aggression. In conclusions these first data, although preliminary, could be useful to better prevent the most frequent forms of aggression among those reported to the health authority. Key Words: dog, aggression. * Corresponding Author: [email protected] Introduction Canine aggression is a very relevant event because, if directed towards people, it constitutes a public health problem.
    [Show full text]
  • JOHN W. PILLEY with Hilary Hinzmann $26.00 / HIGHER in CANADA
    Chaser Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words JOHN W. PILLEY WITH Hilary Hinzmann $26.00 / HIGHER IN CANADA The amazing story of a very smart Border collie who is redefining animal intelligence haser has a way with words. Ci She knows over a thousand of them — more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to com- mon nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thou- sand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation. John’s ingenuity and tenacity as a re- searcher are as impressive as Chaser’s accom- plishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog’s mind. Chaser’s achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem- solving skills to address novel challenges. Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn’t unique. John’s training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the posi- tive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog’s natu- ral drives. John’s work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what’s possible in the relation- ship between a dog and a human.
    [Show full text]