Journal of Veterinary Behavior-clinical Applications and Research 

About: Journal of Veterinary Behavior-clinical Applications and Research is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Anxiety. Over the lifetime, 1178 publications have been published receiving 13805 citations.

Companion animals and human health: Benefits, challenges, and the road ahead

Abstract: Fossil evidence indicates an association between human beings and animals dating back at least half a million years. Today, this relationship remains strong, as evidenced by millions of visits to zoos annually, high rates of pet ownership, and the economic prosperity of the pet industry. A review of the literature indicates that human-animal interactions can remarkably enhance human physical health and psychological well-being. Yet despite reported benefits and public enthusiasm for animal-related activities, human affiliation with animals and nature is rapidly on the decline largely owing to a shift toward industrialized city living. Future research should not only continue to examine the mental and physical health implications of companion animal ownership, but also the ways to most successfully incorporate them into modern lifestyles and communities. © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs

Abstract: In a questionnaire survey of dog owners, 88% of respondents' dogs had received some form of training. Training methods varied; 16% of owners said that they used only positive reinforcement, 12% used a combination of positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement, 32% used a combination of positive reinforcement and positive punishment, and the remaining 40% used a combination of all categories. Seventy-two percent of owners used some form of positive punishment. The mean number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported was 11.3 per dog. Attendance at formal training classes did not significantly affect the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported. However, dogs that had attended puppy socialization classes were less likely to show an undesirable reaction to dogs from outside the household, and owners who carried out informal training at home, but did not attend any form of formal training class, were more likely to report some form of aggression in their dog. The training method used by owners was also related to the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors shown by the dogs. When individual categories of potentially undesirable behavior were investigated, the type of training method used was also significantly associated with attention-seeking score, fear (avoidance) score, and aggression score. Other factors related to the overall number of potentially undesirable behaviors included the age and origin of the dog.

Perception of dogs' stress by their owners

Abstract: Questionnaires potentially have a broad applicability in measuring stress levels in dogs, as owners know their dogs' behavior and personality better than anyone else. The aim of this research was to evaluate how owners perceive stress in their dogs through understanding of displayed behaviors. The survey was carried out using 1,190 questionnaires completed by dog owners. More than half of respondents were able to correctly identify stress as a short- or long-term alteration of the psychophysical equilibrium that can develop into illness. This ability was higher with higher educational levels. The behavioral indicators of stress most frequently identified by owners were trembling and whining, followed by aggressiveness, excessive barking, and panting. More subtle behaviors such as looking elsewhere, turning head, yawning, and nose licking were more rarely reported, suggesting that few owners are able to correctly interpret and intervene in early stages of stress. The vast majority of respondents indicated that dogs were stressed seldom or only in specific situations. Men generally considered their dogs as experiencing low stress more often than did women, whereas women considered their dogs as being moderately stressed more often than did men. An owner's ability to recognize behavioral signs of stress is important, as it enables the owner to help the animal to avoid welfare problems, such as stressful situations, and favors a rapid recovery of psychophysical homeostasis by interrupting the progression to overstress and distress. The results show that some owners can help in protecting the welfare of their dogs, but that many owners would benefit from educational efforts to improve their ability to interpret their dogs' behavior.

The development and assessment of temperament tests for adult companion dogs

Abstract: Temperament tests have been created by a range of organizations and individuals in order to assess useful, predictable behavioral tendencies in working dogs and, increasingly, in companion dogs. For the latter group, such tests may help to select suitable pets from rescue centers or to identify those already in the population that are, or are likely to be, unsuitable as pets (e.g., those with behavior problems involving aggression). Unfortunately, many of these tests seem to have been developed without a systematic scientific approach. Perhaps as a result there are few reports of these tests in the scientific literature and even fewer that fully report their reliability and specific aspects of validity. This pattern is unfortunate, because the outcome of tests for companion dogs may have the potential to affect their welfare and survival. This paper attempts to encourage a more scientific approach to the development, conduct, and evaluation of temperament tests for adult companion dogs. Five key measures of the quality of a temperament test (purpose, standardization, reliability, validity, and practicality) are identified and explained in detail. Methods for the assessment of these qualities are given together with discussion of their limitations.

Roles of learning theory and ethology in equitation

Abstract: By definition, ethology is primarily the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it occurs in a natural environment; applied ethology being the study of animal behavior in the human domain. The terms equine ethology and ethological training are becoming commonplace in the equestrian domain, yet they seem to be used with a conspicuous lack of clarity and with no mention of learning theory. Most of what we do to train horses runs counter to their innate preferences. This article summarizes the ethological challenges encountered by working horses and considers the merits and limitations of ethological solutions. It also questions the use of terms such as "alpha" and "leader" and examines aspects of learning theory, equine cognition, and ethology as applied to horse training and clinical behavior modification. We propose 7 training principles that optimally account for the horse's ethological and learning abilities and maintain maximal responsivity in the trained horse. These principles can be summarized as: (1) use learning theory appropriately; (2) train easy-to-discriminate signals; (3) train and subsequently elicit responses singularly; (4) train only one response per signal; (5) train all responses to be initiated and subsequently completed within a consistent structure; (6) train persistence of current operantly conditioned responses; and (7) avoid and disassociate flight responses. Adherence to these principles and incorporating them into all horse training methodologies should accelerate training success, reduce behavioral wastage of horses, and improve safety for both humans and horses.