Dog Behavior Research Articles

Dog Neuter, Yes or No? A Summary of the Motivations, Benefits, and Harms, with Special Emphasis on the Behavioral Aspect.

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.

Cat and Dog Behavior Recognition Method Using Deep Learning Approach Based on Inertial Measurement Unit Sensor Data

Cat and Dog Behavior Recognition Method Using Deep Learning Approach Based on Inertial Measurement Unit Sensor Data

Functional significance and welfare implications of chewing in dogs (Canis familiaris).

Dogs chew on both nutritive and non-nutritive items as part of their food acquisition, ingestive behaviour, self-care, and social interactions. Various definitions distinguish chewing from related oral activities, such as gnawing, masticating, and biting. Surprisingly, despite chewing being a ubiquitous behaviour in dogs, its relevance to a dog's comfort, health, and purpose remains unclear. Additionally, the risk of dental fractures or other injuries may lead veterinarians to advise against feeding bones to dogs. This article explores the literature on chewing in dogs through the ethological framework of "Tinbergen's Four Questions" and the Five Domains framework for animal welfare assessment. Evidence is gathered from wild and domestic canids and from human and animal models where shared physiological or biological processes provide insight. Chewing appears to promote biological fitness, providing benefits such as dental and oral hygiene, digestive health, bone strength, psychological health, and stress management. Furthermore, this article discusses the evolutionary importance of chewing, the mechanisms underlying bite force, chew rate and morphology, and the development of chewing throughout a dog's life, from primary teeth eruption to senescence. Application of the Five Domains framework for animal welfare helps assess the impact of chewing, or lack thereof, on a dog's welfare. A dog's preference for chew items is primarily driven by odour, taste, and mouthfeel. Macronutrient proportions may also play a role in food preferences, which, in turn, can affect the selection of chewable items. A lack of preferred chew items may result in redirected chewing toward less appropriate items, such as non-food chews that could be harmful to dentition or the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Chewing on such inappropriate items may also lead to the adoption of alternative oral behaviours or reduced their contentment by impeding telos. Overall, chewing positively impacts a dog's physical and psychological health, contributing to its welfare and appearing essential as a regular part of a dog's daily life. However, the significant benefits of chewing must be carefully weighed against potential risks.

Hunting dog behaviour is a key driver impacting harvest quantity and quality of truffles

Truffles are an iconic food that have long held high regard. Here we explore the seasonality and eco-physiological interactions affecting truffle quality and quantity across time and space. Collaborating with professional truffle hunters working eight different locations, detailed metrics of 3180 recovered truffles from 236 hunt events and spanning a full fruiting period, were recorded. Contrary to expectations, truffle weight showed no correlation with climate variables, suggesting a limited influence of environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation on truffle size. We also found that truffle maturity and damage from mycophagy were strongly linked, with deeper truffles being more mature but also more susceptible to damage. Finally, we observe that scent-dog behaviour significantly impacts the quantity and quality of recovered truffles, and we address the necessity of considering this in truffle ecophysiology studies. Alongside advances in our biological understanding, we make recommendations of how training methods can be improved to lead to greater detection and quality targeting with immediate socioeconomic impact. These findings highlight the complex interplay between truffle physiology, environmental factors, and human and animal behaviours, emphasizing the need for further considered research to enhance our understanding of truffle biology and to improve truffle cultivation practices.

Effect of Carcass Feeds on Feeding Behavior and Social Interactions in Zoo-Based African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus).

Management of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in zoos involves several challenges, including the difficulty of providing appropriate stimulation and enrichment for naturally wide-ranging, energetic, cursorial hunters. Perhaps consequently, zoo packs can exhibit bouts of extreme intra-pack aggression rarely seen in the wild. As with other species, considerable efforts are required to balance the retention and exhibition of wild-type behaviors, against ensuring that the nutritional and welfare needs of individual group-living animals are met. While some behaviors, such as hunting and wide-ranging movements are impossible to mimic in zoos, the provision of food may be refined to allow natural feeding behavior to be displayed. We conducted a feeding experiment on a breeding pack of nine African wild dogs at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Australia, presenting food in three treatments (individual pieces, butchered carcasses, and whole carcasses) to determine whether: (1) natural age-related patterns of feeding behavior were observed; (2) food type or presentation affected feeding behavior, duration, and interactions. Free-ranging African wild dogs exhibit an age-based feeding structure at kill sites that is rare in other species. We found that carcass and butchered carcass feeds more closely exhibited the age-based feeding observed in the wild. The pack spent twenty times as long consuming carcasses than food presented as individual pieces, with consumption times matching those in the wild. Carcass and butchered carcass feeds also increased the number and rate of interactions over food compared to individual pieces, with a high proportion of interactions resulting in sharing outcomes. This suggests that carcass feeds allow the exhibition of natural patterns of behavior without increasing the risk of negative social interactions. Our results highlight the importance and possibility of managing socially complex carnivores through husbandry that balances the display of natural behavior with positive animal welfare.

A cross-sectional study to investigate associations between flooring substrates and prevalence of limb and paw abnormalities of dogs housed in commercial breeding facilities.

Understanding the impact of environmental and management factors on the health and behavior of dogs housed in commercial breeding (CB) facilities is critical to their welfare. The specific aims of the study were to assess (a) associations between combinations of flooring substrates commonly used in CB kennels with foot, elbow, or hock abnormalities such as pododermatitis, calluses, or interdigital furuncle and (b) the impact of flooring substrate on dog cleanliness. Dogs (N = 373) from CB facilities (N = 20), housed on combinations of concrete, gravel, and diamond-coated expanded metal were assessed. A veterinary dermatologist examined each dog's paw, toenails, elbows, hocks, body condition, and overall cleanliness. Identified conditions included wet paws (12.6%), calluses (11.26%), erythema (6.97%), and matted paw fur (6.17%). Mixed-effects logistic regression models identified an effect of sex and wet paws (OR 6.08, CI 1.23, 29.92, p = 0.03) and age with matted paw fur (OR 1.52, CI 1.12, 2.07, p = 0.007). A few conditions were identified, including pododermatitis, hygromas, and interdigital furuncles, where management alterations might result in improved outcomes and welfare states for dogs in CB facilities.

An Evolutionary Perspective on Dog Behavioral Genetics.

Dogs have played an outsized role in the field of behavioral genetics since its earliest days. Their unique evolutionary history and ubiquity in the modern world make them a potentially powerful model system for discovering how genetic changes lead to changes in behavior. Genomic technology has supercharged this potential by enabling scientists to sequence the DNA of thousands of dogs and test for correlations with behavioral traits. However, fractures in the early history of animal behavior between biological and psychological subfields may be impeding progress. In addition, canine behavioral genetics has included almost exclusively dogs from modern breeds, who represent just a small fraction of all dog diversity. By expanding the scope of dog behavior studies, and incorporating an evolutionary perspective on canine behavioral genetics, we can move beyond associations to understanding the complex interactions between genes and environment that lead to dog behavior.

The Puppies' Age at Adoption Time Influences the Behavioral Responses of Adult Dog.

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.

Impact of trainability on telomere dynamics of pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris): An explorative study in aging dogs.

This research studied the impact of various factors (including social and physiological parameters) on telomere dynamics in pet dogs. Telomeres, essential for maintaining genomic integrity, undergo shortening with each cell division, leading to cellular senescence. Previous studies in humans have linked cognitive and social factors with telomere dynamics but in animals, such associations remain understudied. This study is based on a previous study, where behavioral and cognitive changes in aging pet dogs were investigated. Together with standard variables (sex, age, body weight, diet), behavioral predictors that were assessed in the "Modified Vienna Canine Cognitive Battery" were used. This study aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on telomere dynamics in aging pet dogs. The relative telomere length of 63 dogs was measured, using a qPCR method and a model selection approach was applied to assess which variables can explain the found telomere patterns. Results revealed a strong association of the behavioral factor called trainability and telomere change. Trainability was the best predictor for telomere change over time and was the only predictor having a relative variable importance (RVI) above 0.7. This finding suggests that higher trainability positively affects telomere dynamics in aging dogs and factors like age, sex, diet, and other cognitive parameters are less important. The study sheds light on the potential role of cognitive factors in canine aging and offers insights into improving the quality of life for aging dogs, but further research is needed to comprehensively understand the interplay between behavior, cognition, and telomere dynamics in dogs.

Ready, set, yellow! color preference of Indian free-ranging dogs

Most of the research on color vision related behaviors in dogs has involved training the dogs to perform visual discrimination tasks. We investigated the importance of color to untrained Indian free-ranging dogs (FRDs). Using one-time multi-option choice tests for color preference in 134 adult dogs, we found the dogs to prefer yellow objects over blue or gray ones while there was no preference between blue and gray. We next pitted a yellow object against a gray object that had food. Here, the dogs ignored the food (biscuit or chicken) to approach the yellow object first indicating the color preference to be quite strong. Color preference has previously been investigated in many other animals and has implications for behaviors like mate choice and foraging. Our study provides a new perspective into the ecology of Indian FRDs and might have implications for companion dogs as well, if they too show this preference.

Companion dogs show signs of jealous behaviour toward non-living agents

Dogs engage in social interactions with robots, yet whether they perceive them as social agents remains uncertain. In jealousy-evoking contexts, specific behaviours were observed exclusively when dogs’ owners interacted with social, rather than non-social rivals. Here, we investigated whether a robot elicits jealous behaviour in dogs based on its level of animateness. First, dogs observed a robot either moving mechanistically, or showing animate motions in a non-interactive, or interactive manner towards a human. Then, in consecutive trials the owner interacted with a rival dog, the robot, and read a magazine, while ignoring the subject. Dogs displayed more owner-oriented behaviours, interaction interruption, vocalization and snapping when the owner attended the rival dog compared to reading. Dogs showed intermediate interest toward the robot but snapped more toward the robot than the magazine. Thus, dogs adjust their jealous behaviour to the actual rival, and indirect, brief experience is sufficient to consider the robot as distinct from typical inanimate objects.

Beliefs About Cats and Dogs Among Pet Owners and Former Owners

Despite an increase in research into cat and dog cognition, behavior, and welfare in recent decades, it is unclear whether pet owners are aware of recent advances in our understanding of cats and dogs. Misunderstandings about the reasons for animal behavior can lead to negative welfare outcomes for the animal, and potentially distress for the owner, so it is important for owners to understand the latest science on animal behavior. Current and former pet owners (N = 224) completed an online survey rating their agreement with a series of statements about cat and dog behavior. After completing the survey, participants were provided with a document describing the latest scientific knowledge about each of the statements in the survey. For both species, participant beliefs generally accord with the latest scientific knowledge, but there is evidence of remaining beliefs about aspects of dominance training theory in dogs, and the belief that cats are low-maintenance pets. These findings can be used by trainers and behaviorists to help educate owners about pet needs, working from the owner’s baseline knowledge and debunking persistent myths.

Association between training methods and owner-reported problems behaviours in dogs enrolled in the ‘Generation Pup’ longitudinal study in the UK

Association between training methods and owner-reported problems behaviours in dogs enrolled in the ‘Generation Pup’ longitudinal study in the UK

Exploration of circumstances surrounding bites from potentially rabid dogs on rampage, and the coping strategies of victims and communities in Central Uganda

Exploration of circumstances surrounding bites from potentially rabid dogs on rampage, and the coping strategies of victims and communities in Central Uganda

The role of breed versus personality and other demographic factors in predicting chasing behaviour in dogs

The role of breed versus personality and other demographic factors in predicting chasing behaviour in dogs

A qualitative exploration of owner experiences following dog adoption.

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.

AR Fitness Dog: Effects of a User-Mimicking Interactive Virtual Pet on User Experience and Social Presence in Physical Exercise.

This paper explores the impact of an augmented reality (AR) virtual dog, designed to mimic user behavior, on the exercise experience in both solo and group settings. Focusing on the virtual pet's role as a companion during physical activity, we conducted a human-subject experiment comparing three conditions: a mimicking virtual dog, a randomly behaving virtual dog, and no virtual dog. Participants exercised either solo or in groups, specifically in pairs, allowing for a detailed analysis of how the behavior and physical presence of the virtual dog influenced users' exercise experience and social connections. The findings demonstrate that the mimicking virtual dog significantly enhanced the exercise experience, especially in solo settings, by fostering a stronger sense of companionship. In group exercises, the virtual dog acted as a social facilitator, improving group cohesion and interaction. This research highlights the potential of behavior-mimicking virtual pets to enhance both individual and group exercise experiences and offers valuable insights for developing AR-based fitness applications.

Absence of mating behaviors in the female dogs neonatally treated with estrogen and progesterone.

This study aimed to develop a non-surgical method to neutralize reproduction in female dogs. Female Beagle puppies, aged 6 days, were treated with pellets designed to release estradiol benzoate (EB; 1.0 mg) and progesterone (P4; 5.0 mg) over approximately 3 weeks. Their estrous cycles were monitored from 6 to 34 months of age by examining their vulvas daily and measuring their serum P4 levels once a month. Vulvar edema and discharge, followed by a serum P4 level above 5 ng/ml, indicated the potential estrus. Each time a dog showed these signs, breeding was attempted by housing with a proven male Beagle. All the treated dogs displayed cyclic progesterone surges with 5 to 6-month-long anestrous intervals. Surprisingly, none exhibited sexual behaviors, and no mating occurred (i.e., no intromission and copulatory tie), resulting in no pups being born. This phenomenon was further explored in laboratory animals. Neonatal female rats were treated with microspheres containing smaller doses of the same steroids (0.3 mg EB + 3.0 mg P4) at 1 or 2 days old. At 3 months old, the rats were ovariectomized, chemically stimulated to exhibit estrus behaviors using a standard protocol and tested for receptivity to proven male rats. Untreated control rats showed normal receptivity (i.e., lordosis) and allowed males to mate. However, rats treated with EB+P4 did not exhibit lordosis or allow mating. These results indicate that the combined use of estrogen and progesterone could be an effective non-surgical method for inhibiting mating behavior and, consequently, neutralizing female dog reproduction.

The impact of genes and hormones on canine behavior: A review of recent research

The pet industry in Korea is rapidly growing with social changes such as an increase in single-person households and an aging population. As ownership of companion animals increases, problems related to dog behavior, especially aggression, become more prominent. Based on recent research, this paper comprehensively analyzed the methods to assess the behavioral characteristics of canines and the roles of genes and hormones influencing dog behavior. In particular, the effects of genes (DRD4, OXTR, SLC6A4, HTR1A, HTR1B, and HTR2A) and hormones (Testosterone, Cortisol, and Oxytocin) were examined. The genetic study confirmed that these genes are associated with various behavioral characteristics such as aggression, impulsiveness, and social interaction. Hormone research investigated the effects of testosterone, oxytocin, and cortisol such as aggression, social interaction, and stress relief. This study provides important basic data for understanding problems related to dog behavior. Furthermore, the current study will aid in developing programs to correct aggressive canine behaviors through genetic markers. It is anticipated that future research on canine behavior in Korea will advance substantially, ultimately making a notable impact on effectively addressing behavioral issues in dogs.

A MODERN VIEW AT THE PROBLEM OF THE DOGS’ AGGRESSION

The article presents an analysis of modern domestic and foreign literary sources on the issue of aggressive dog behavior and unmotivated aggression, which today does not lose its relevance among dog owners, specialists involved in animal education and training, zoopsychologists, аnd also veterinarians. Demonstrated the importance of aggression for the survival of a species, as well as the negative consequences of aggressive behavior. Based on literary sources, the most effective approaches to solving the problem of aggressive behavior in dogs were analyzed, which include both understanding natural characteristics and ensuring animal welfare, reducing the effects of stress factors, using pharmacological agents, gonadectomy, types of training, and socialization.