Dog

The importance of positive rewards in dog training

Arabella Gray discusses the latest evidence of the negative impact of aversive‐based training methods on companion dog welfare.

Year Published: 2021Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Gray, A. 2021. The importance of positive rewards in dog training. Veterinary Record 188(2), 82-83.

Paw preference as a tool for assessing emotional functioning and welfare in dogs and cats: A review

Dogs and cats have been extensively studied of late in relation to their paw preferences, with both species showing preferential motor bias at the level of the individual. Over the years, a wide range of measures have been designed to...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Wells, D. L. 2021. Paw preference as a tool for assessing emotional functioning and welfare in dogs and cats: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 236, 105148.

Addressing stress in dogs in shelters through a novel visual and auditory enrichment device

Dogs experience both acute and chronic stress when living in animal shelters. Current best practices recommend a variety of techniques for reducing stress such as enhanced human interactions including play or training, novel feeding strategies, increased exercise/group play, and, when...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Epstein, J., Dowling-Guyer, S., McCobb, E. et al. 2021. Addressing stress in dogs in shelters through a novel visual and auditory enrichment device. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 236, 105215.

Measuring pain in dogs and cats using structured behavioural observation

The contemporary approach to pain measurement in people and animals seeks to measure the affective (emotional) component of the pain experience using structured questionnaires with formal scoring methodology. Chronic pain has wide-ranging impacts which affects the quality of life (QOL)...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Reid, J., Nolan, A. M., Scott, E. M. 2018. Measuring pain in dogs and cats using structured behavioural observation. The Veterinary Journal 236, 72-79.

The use of synthetic grass as a novel substrate within veterinary practice canine inpatient elimination enclosures

Dogs form toileting preferences that may influence canine elimination behaviors. This study aimed to assess the effect of providing a novel substrate (synthetic grass) on indices of canine willingness to eliminate, plus associated behavioral parameters. At a veterinary hospital, an...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Buckley, L. A., Whalley, C. 2019. The use of synthetic grass as a novel substrate within veterinary practice canine inpatient elimination enclosures. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 34, 42-51.

Saliva sampling in dogs: How to select the most appropriate procedure for your study

Saliva sampling is an easy, noninvasive method to assess short-term physiological changes, and as such is a valuable addition to behavioral studies in dogs. Different methods for collecting saliva samples in dogs have been reported in literature, and there appears...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Lensen, C. M. M., Moons, C. P. H., Diederich, C. 2015. Saliva sampling in dogs: How to select the most appropriate procedure for your study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 10(6), 504-512.

A preliminary investigation into personality and pain in dogs

Adherence to basic animal welfare standards involves effective monitoring and control of pain, especially in a veterinary setting. Assessment relies on behavioral and physiological indicators. However, individual differences in physiology mediate consistent individual differences in behavior, referred to as “personality”....

Year Published: 2018Topics: Personality, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Lush, J., Ijichi, C. 2018. A preliminary investigation into personality and pain in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 24, 62-68.

The effects of dog-appeasing pheromone spray upon canine vocalizations and stress-related behaviors in a rescue shelter

Exposure to dog-appeasing pheromones (DAPs) has been suggested to reduce stress-related behaviors in dogs; however, the effects of DAP administered using a portable, rapid use spray has not received as much attention as the plug-in format. The aim of the...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Hermiston, C., Montrose, V. T., Taylor, S. 2018. The effects of dog-appeasing pheromone spray upon canine vocalizations and stress-related behaviors in a rescue shelter. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 26, 11-16.

Effects of petting before a brief separation from the owner on dog behavior and physiology: A pilot study

Human physical contact is known to be effective in decreasing dogs' level of stress, assessed through endocrine, physiological, and behavioral parameters. Gentle touching has been found to be beneficial for dogs while experiencing or after having experienced a stressful event....

Year Published: 2018Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Mariti, C., Carlone, B., Protti, M. et al. 2018. Effects of petting before a brief separation from the owner on dog behavior and physiology: A pilot study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 27, 41-46.

Use of beds by laboratory beagles

Comfortable resting areas for laboratory dogs have been recommended by many authors and by the European Directive 2010/63/EU. They are particularly important for geriatric dogs for age- and health-related reasons. Systematic research in this area has not been done. Therefore,...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Döring, D., Backofen, I., Schmidt, J. et al. 2018. Use of beds by laboratory beagles. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 28, 6-10.