Detection dogs are increasingly used to locate cryptic wildlife species, but their use for amphibians is still rather underexplored. In the present paper we focus on the great crested newt (Triturus ...cristatus), a European species which is experiencing high conservation concerns across its range, and assess the ability of a trained detection dog to locate individuals during their terrestrial phase. More specifically, we used a series of experiments to document whether a range of distances between target newts and the detection dog (odour channelled through pipes 68 mm in diameter) affects the localisation, and to assess the ability and efficiency of target newt detection in simulated subterranean refugia through 200 mm of two common soil types (clay and sandy soil, both with and without air vents to mimic mammal burrows, a common refuge used by T. cristatus). The detection dog accurately located all individual T. cristatus across the entire range of tested distances (0.25 m- 2.0 m). The substrate trials revealed that the detection dog could locate individuals also through soil. Contrary to existing studies with detection dogs in human forensic contexts, however, detection was generally slower for T. cristatus under sandy soil compared to clay soil, particularly when a vent was absent. Our study provides a general baseline for the use of detection dogs in locating T. cristatus and similar amphibian species during their terrestrial phase.
For centuries, different types of dogs were bred around the world for work, sport, or companionship. But it was not until Victorian times that breeders started to produce discrete, differentiated, ...standardized breeds. In The Invention of the Modern Dog , Michael Worboys, Julie-Marie Strange, and Neil Pemberton explore when, where, why, and how Victorians invented the modern way of ordering and breeding dogs. Though talk of breed was common before this period in the context of livestock, the modern idea of a dog breed defined in terms of shape, size, coat, and color arose during the Victorian period in response to a burgeoning competitive dog show culture. The authors explain how breeders, exhibitors, and showmen borrowed ideas of inheritance and pure blood, as well as breeding practices of livestock, horse, poultry and other fancy breeders, and applied them to a species that was long thought about solely in terms of work and companionship. The new dog breeds embodied and reflected key aspects of Victorian culture, and they quickly spread across the world, as some of Britain’s top dogs were taken on stud tours or exported in a growing international trade. Connecting the emergence and development of certain dog breeds to both scientific understandings of race and blood as well as Britain’s posture in a global empire, The Invention of the Modern Dog demonstrates that studying dog breeding cultures allows historians to better understand the complex social relationships of late-nineteenth-century Britain.
As part of an evaluation of Dutch breed specific legislation, data were collected from dog bite victims (1078) and dog owners (6139) using Internet surveys. The incidence rate of dog bites and ...details of incidents (victims, injuries, circumstances and aggressors) are reported and the justification for using breed specific measurements to deal with dog bites are considered. For aggressors, attack records for breed groups and popular breeds were established by calculating breed risk indices using a reference population. Several breeds and breed groups were over- and under-represented in the biting population and there was a mismatch between risk indices and the then-current legislation. Mitigation strategies should not be based on attack records (since this would lead to the rejection of a significant proportion of the canine population) but on the circumstances of the incidents. Preventative measures must focus on a better understanding of how to handle dogs.
Ancestral Coast Salish societies in the Pacific Northwest kept long-haired "woolly dogs" that were bred and cared for over millennia. However, the dog wool-weaving tradition declined during the 19th ...century, and the population was lost. In this study, we analyzed genomic and isotopic data from a preserved woolly dog pelt from "Mutton," collected in 1859. Mutton is the only known example of an Indigenous North American dog with dominant precolonial ancestry postdating the onset of settler colonialism. We identified candidate genetic variants potentially linked with their distinct woolly phenotype. We integrated these data with interviews from Coast Salish Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and weavers about shared traditional knowledge and memories surrounding woolly dogs, their importance within Coast Salish societies, and how colonial policies led directly to their disappearance.
The twenty-first century pet domestic dog typically spends a large amount of time in the home environment. An audio/food dispensing automated device (an artificial agent, hereafter agent) was ...evaluated for enrichment potential. The agent issued verbal cuesto dogs and puppies, and food rewards for their correct behavioural responses. Dogs' and puppies' abilities to respond correctly to the cues and their welfare during interaction was measured. Three empirical studies are presented. Key findings of the cognitive tests (study one) include: 1. no significant difference in dogs' correct behavioural responses to the agent's cues between initial exposure and following a 24-month break (p = 0.119); 2. no significant difference in correct 1st choice behavioural responses to multiple, randomised cues issued by the agent and by owners directly (p = 0.526); 3. significantly longer response latencies to cuesin agent conditions vs owner condition (p = 0.026). Dogs were able to learn a novel sequence of known behaviours from the agent during a single testing session. Study two measured dogs' welfare during the cognitive tests described using Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA) and quantitative behaviour sampling. QBA PC1 characterised dogs as ranging from 'attentive/interested/anticipating' to 'conflicted/apathetic' in each experimental testing condition with the majority of dogs at the former end of the PC. Inter-observer agreement was high on all PCs (average Kendall's W = 0.82). No significant differences in quantitative positive state behaviours between conditions were found (average p = 0.595); these behaviours correlated significantly with QBA PC1 in all conditions(average r = 0.791). The study represents the first application of QBA to a cognitive paradigm and suggests that positive reinforcement interaction with an owner or with an agent may promote an experience of pleasure in dogs. Study three examined puppies' responses to randomised verbal cues issued by the agent and by owners directly for comparison. Attentional focus on the agent was rapidly achieved (average 18.8 sec from start of introduction to agent). No significant difference in puppies' correct 1st choice behavioural responses to cues issued by the agent vs owners was found (p = 0.609); significantly longer response latencies to cues in the agent vs owner condition were revealed (p = 0.001). Overall, indicators of positive anticipation, motivation, competence and sustained engagement were identified in the majority of dogs and puppies throughout testing, suggesting that agent-interaction represents an appropriate cognitive challenge. Puppy owners reported overarchingly positive opinions of their puppies' interactive experiences; the majority supporting the trial of an agent in the home.
The present study addresses the lack of research on Staphylococcus spp. among dogs in South Africa. The study characterises isolates from retrospective data from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in ...terms of time, place, and animal factors. Using data collected from 2012 to 2017, the study analysed 1627 positive Staphylococcus isolates and identified 10 species, the majority (92.0%) of which were classified as coagulase-positive, while a few were coagulase-negative (6.0%) and coagulase-variable (3.0%). Male dogs contributed just over half (53.2%) of the isolates. Dogs aged ≥9 years contributed the most isolates (23.2%). KwaZulu-Natal Province contributed the majority (45.0%) of the isolates, while Northern Cape Province contributed the least (0.1%). Almost half (46.0%) of the isolates came from skin specimens. The study demonstrated a limited variation in the number of Staphylococcus isolates across seasons and the occurrence of a diversity of Staphylococcus species among dogs in South Africa. There is a need for research to improve our understanding of factors that influence the observed disparities in Staphylococcus spp. Proportions observed in this study. There is a scarcity of published studies on the occurrence of Staphylococcus spp. Among dogs in South Africa. The objective of the study was to characterise the Staphylococcus spp. Isolated from dog samples submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa in terms of time, place, and person. This study utilised a dataset of 1627 positive Staphylococcus isolates obtained from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa from 2012 to 2017. Out of the 1627 confirmed isolates, 10 different species of Staphylococcus were identified. Among these, 92.0% were classified as coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS), 6.0% were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), and 3.0% were coagulase-variable. Male dogs contributed just over half (53.2%) of the Staphylococcus isolates, while female dogs contributed the remaining 46.8%. The largest proportion of isolates (23.2%) were obtained from dogs aged ≥ 9 years, with the highest number of isolates originating from KwaZulu-Natal Province (45.0%) and the least from Northern Cape Province (0.1%). Out of the total samples included in the records, the majority (46.0%) were skin specimens. The number of Staphylococcus isolates recorded showed limited variation between the seasons (24.3% in autumn, 26.3% in winter, 26.0% in spring, and 24.0% in summer). This study highlighted the diversity of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from dogs, and the burden of staphylococcal carriage among dogs in South Africa. Further research is required to examine the factors that contribute to the observed discrepancies in the proportions of Staphylococcus spp. between the provinces.
Dog owners feel a commitment to give their pets a healthy life. In order to understand the construction of branding, this study analyzed the responsible food brand Barker and the elements that ...compose it. Kepwords: Dog food, responsible food, brand, Instagram, case study. 1. Por ello, se generó la dieta BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) que consiste en una alimentación basada principalmente de carne cruda (res, pollo, pavo, salmón, entre otros), y secundariamente carbohidratos (arroz, camote, entre otros) y vitaminas (Billinghurst, 2001; Handl, 2014).
A longitudinal study followed search-and-rescue (SAR) dogs for 15 years to determine the incidence of health events and whether factors of deployment during 9/11, breed, or sex altered the risk of ...specific events.
150 SAR dogs: 95 dogs deployed to the September 11 terrorist attack sites and 55 SAR dogs not deployed.
Each year, a survey was sent to the handler to collect health information until the dog died or the handler withdrew from the study. The reported health events were then categorized according to the body system affected and etiology. Incidence risk rates, with 95% CIs, were calculated for the most common types of health events. Incidence rate ratios were calculated stratified by deployment status, sex, and breed and significance assessed.
1 or more health event was recorded in 96 of the 150 enrolled dogs. The most affected systems were the musculoskeletal (31%; CI, 24 to 39), integumentary (22%; CI, 15 to 29), and gastrointestinal (20%; CI, 14 to 26). The health events were most commonly reported as inflammatory (45%; CI, 37 to 53) and degenerative (28%; CI, 21 to 35) in nature. There were no significant differences in incidence of health events based on deployment status to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Additionally, there was no significant effect of breed or sex on incidence of health events.
To improve the health and longevity of SAR dogs, disease prevention and management programs should focus on reducing the health problems involving the musculoskeletal system as well as the integumentary and gastrointestinal systems.
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