Studies About Dogs

[tjhowell]

hmm, that's annoying. Let's try once more: http://latrobepsy.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_798ffxGeA8nMOqh

Hopefully that will work. Sorry about that.

[The Spotted Devil]

Hi everyone,

I've posted a couple of times here before when I need help with some dog research that I'm running, and you have always been so helpful, as a group, that I am calling on you again! This time we're hoping to get information about pet-keeping practices for dog, rabbit, bird, and cat owners. By pet-keeping practices I mean things like what you feed your dogs, how you house them, how many you have, how much time you spend with them, etc. I know that people have a lot of strong opinions about what SHOULD be done, but there's precious little data out there to let us know what's actually going on.

If you'd be willing to help me out by completing this survey, I'd really appreciate it

The survey is entirely online, at http://latrobepsy.qualtrics.com/SE/?...BhJ2W75pcYxK9T

Thanks in advance!

Hi Tiffany

Can I suggest you start a new thread in general discussion? Your post may get lost in here!

Hope you're keeping well :)

Cheers

Sally.

[KJJ]

worked

[tjhowell]

Hi everyone,

I've posted a couple of times here before when I need help with some dog research that I'm running, and you have always been so helpful, as a group, that I am calling on you again! This time we're hoping to get information about pet-keeping practices for dog, rabbit, bird, and cat owners. By pet-keeping practices I mean things like what you feed your dogs, how you house them, how many you have, how much time you spend with them, etc. I know that people have a lot of strong opinions about what SHOULD be done, but there's precious little data out there to let us know what's actually going on.

If you'd be willing to help me out by completing this survey, I'd really appreciate it

The survey is entirely online, at http://latrobepsy.qualtrics.com/SE/?...BhJ2W75pcYxK9T

Thanks in advance!

Thanks, Sally :) Will do!

Hi Tiffany

Can I suggest you start a new thread in general discussion? Your post may get lost in here!

Hope you're keeping well :)

Cheers

Sally.

[sandgrubber]

Interesting:

Swedish study found no link between

modern breeds and their traditional work

http://nationalcanin...0study_2013.pdf

This description doesn't do justice to Svartburg's extremely interesting research. I recommend going to the original article at

Breed-typical behaviour in dogs—Historical remnants or recent ...

homepage.psy.utexas.edu/.../Animal%20Personality%20PDFs/.../Svartbu...‎

For one thing, this is probably the largest temperament/breed study ever conducted. They did temperament tests on 16,000+ dogs covering 31 breeds (>40 dogs per breed). They also looked at the differences between working and show lines. Attached is their summary table on breed temperaments (ignore the file name, I got the author's name wrong).

[mita]

Good on you, SG, for posting the reference to Svartburg's full paper. You beat me to it. This is a highly significant work. Should be circulated widely.

[sandgrubber]

Rates of Cesarian, by breed

http://www.bakalo.com/C-Section-rates-purebreed-dogs.pdf

OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency of caesarean sections in a large sample of pedigree dogs in the UK. METHODS: Data on the numbers of litters born in the previous 10 years were available from a cross-sectional study of dogs belonging to breed club members (2004 Kennel Club/BSAVA Scientific Committee Purebred Dog Health Survey). In this survey 151 breeds were repre- sented with data for households that had reported on at least 10 litters (range 10–14,15): this represented 13,141 bitches which had whelped 22,005 litters. The frequency of caesarean sections was estimated as the percentage of litters that were reported to be born by caesarean section (caesarean rates) and are reported by breed. The dogs were cat- egorised into brachycephalic, mesocephalic and dolicocephalic breeds. RESULTS: The 10 breeds with the highest caesarean rates were the Boston terrier, bulldog, French bulldog, mastiff, Scottish terrier, miniature bull terrier, German wirehaired pointer, Clumber spaniel, Pekingese and Dandie Dinmont terrier. In the Boston terrier, bulldog and French bulldog, the rate was > 80%.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These data provide evidence for the need to monitor caesarean rates in certain breeds of dog.

[Kanae]

Publication : Immunogenicity of an Intranasally Administered Modified Live Canine Parvovirus Type 2b Vaccine in Pups with Maternally Derived Antibodies

Date: 12 October 2005

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247831/

ABSTRACT:

The ability of a modified live canine parvovirus type 2b vaccine to elicit active immunization in pups with maternally derived antibodies (MDA) by intranasal administration was evaluated. The vaccine induced seroconversion in 100% of pups with MDA titers of ≤80 and in 51.6% of pups with titers between 160 and 320.

Publication : Canine Parvovirus (CPV) Type 2b Vaccine Protects puppies with Maternal Antibodies to CPV when Challenged with Virulent CPV-2c Virus

Date: 2012

http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol10Iss3/Vol10%20Iss3%20Ng.pdf

ABSTRACT:This study was conducted to evaluate canine parvovirus disease prevention efficancy of the minimum immunizing dose of the CPV-2b fraction of a multivalent vaccine when administered at approximately 6 weeks of age to pups with maternal CPV-2b antibodies.

A second dose was administered 4 weeks later. Pups were challenged with a virulent strain of CPV-2c virus 2 months after the second vaccination. Efficacy was evaluated by monitoring the pups for various clinical observations and laboratory testing of parvovirus infection, including mucous stool,

bloody stool, diarrhea, fever, death, leukope-nia, lymphopenia, CPV-2b serum neutralization titer, and detection of CPV in the feces. Upon a severe challenge with a virulent

CPV-2c virus, four of five (80%) control pups had at least three of four clinical signs of CPV infection while 19 of 20 (95%) vaccinated pups had not more than one sign of CPV infection. The response of the control pups confirmed the virulence of the challenge and validity of the study. The response of the vaccinated pups demonstrated the efficacy of the CPV-2b vaccine, even in puppies with maternal antibody, which was one of the main objectives of this study. The outcome of this study was consistent with the 9CFR requirements necessary to support an additional label claim that the vaccine aids in the prevention of disease caused by CPV-2c when administered to puppies as young as 6 weeks of age with maternal CPV antibodies.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Kanae

[BCNut]

Summary of recent findings in ongoing study into brain activity in non-anaesthetised dogs. MRI scans suggest higher levels of cognitive functioning and emotional intelligence than previously thought.

LINK

[Aidan3]

"Handler beliefs affect scent detection dog outcomes"

"Handlers’ beliefs that scent was present potentiated handler identification of detection dog alerts. Human more than dog influences affected alert locations. This confirms that handler beliefs affect outcomes of scent detection dog deployments."

[sandgrubber]

Most of us have heard of the study that found daschunds and chihuahuas are more aggressive than the breeds commonly given that label. This is the actual study. It's and interesting read.

Breed differences in canine aggression

Deborah L. Duffy a, Yuying Hsu b, James A. Serpell a,*

Accepted 18 April 2008 Available online 3 June 2008

Canine aggression poses serious public health and animal welfare concerns. Most of what is understood about breed differences in aggression comes from reports based on bite statistics, behavior clinic caseloads, and experts’ opinions. Information on breed-specific aggressiveness derived from such sources may be misleading due to biases attributable to a disproportionate risk of injury associated with larger and/or more physically powerful breeds and the existence of breed stereotypes. The present study surveyed the owners of more than 30 breeds of dogs using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C- BARQ), a validated and reliable instrument for assessing dogs’ typical and recent responses to a variety of common stimuli and situations. Two independent data samples (a random sample of breed club members and an online sample) yielded significant differences among breeds in aggression directed toward strangers, owners and dogs (Kruskal–Wallis tests, P < 0.0001).

Eight breeds common to both datasets (Dachshund, English Springer Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Rottweiler, Shetland Sheepdog and Siberian Husky) ranked similarly, rs = 0.723, P < 0.05; rs = 0.929, P < 0.001; rs = 0.592, P = 0.123, for aggression directed toward strangers, dogs and owners, respectively. Some breeds scored higher than average for aggression directed toward both humans and dogs (e.g., Chihuahuas and Dachshunds) while other breeds scored high only for specific targets (e.g., dog-directed aggression among Akitas and Pit Bull Terriers). In general, aggression was most severe when directed toward other dogs followed by unfamiliar people and household members. Breeds with the greatest percentage of dogs exhibiting serious aggression (bites or bite attempts) toward humans included Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers (toward strangers and owners); Australian Cattle Dogs (toward strangers); and American Cocker Spaniels and Beagles (toward owners). More than 20% of Akitas, Jack Russell Terriers and Pit Bull Terriers were reported as displaying serious aggression toward unfamiliar dogs. Golden Retrievers, Labradors Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Brittany Spaniels, Greyhounds and Whippets were the least aggressive toward both humans and dogs. Among English Springer Spaniels, conformation-bred dogs were more aggressive to humans and dogs than field-bred dogs (stranger aggression: Mann–Whitney U test, z = 3.880, P < 0.0001; owner aggression: z = 2.110, P < 0.05; dog- directed aggression: z = 1.93, P = 0.054), suggesting a genetic influence on the behavior. The opposite pattern was observed for owner-directed aggression among Labrador Retrievers, (z = 2.18, P < 0.05) indicating that higher levels of aggression are not attributable to breeding for show per se.

article can be downloaded for free at Researchgate . . . google the authors and title and you'll find it.

[sandgrubber]

http://actavet.vfu.cz/pdf/200776030431.pdf

Interesting review article: discusses some interesting studies

Genetics of Canine Behavior

Abstract

Houpt K.A.: Genetics of Canine Behavior. Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: 431-444.

Canine behavioral genetics is a rapidly moving area of research. In this review, breed

differences in behavior are emphasized. Dog professionals’ opinions of the various breeds on

many behavior traits reveal factors such as reactivity, aggression, ease of training and immaturity.

Heritability of various behaviors – hunting ability, playfulness, and aggression to people and

other dogs – has been calculated. The neurotransmitters believed to be involved in aggression

are discussed. The gene for aggression remains elusive, but identifi cation of single nucleotide

polymorphisms associated with breed-specifi c behavior traits are leading us in the right direction.

The unique syndrome of aggression found in English Springer Spaniels may be a model for

detecting the gene involved.

[Peta_H]

More than a ‘Three Dog Night’? Uncovering Human-Animal Co-Sleeping Practices among Australian Dog Owners

Where does your dog sleep? Researchers from CQUniversity are seeking Australian dog owners to participate in a short 15-minute online survey about their dogs sleeping arrangements. This information will be used to gain a greater understanding of the human-dog relationship, in particular human-dog co-sleeping practices. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please click here

[Chana Fuller]

Dog's epigenome gives clues to human cancer

Source:

IDIBELL-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute

Summary:

The bond between humans and dogs is strong and ancient. Dogs and people share many aspects of life. The relationship between the two species has been studied by psychologists, anthropologists, ethnologists and also by genetic and molecular biologists. In this sense, dogs are a great model for understanding the causes of human diseases, especially cancer. Unlike other mammals used in research, dogs develop cancer spontaneously as humans do and cancer is the most common cause of death in this species. The dog genome has been sequenced, but we still don't know how it is controlled and regulated, what we call the epigenome.

[Chana Fuller]

nice thread with so much useful content.specially for persons like me who are crazy about pet dogs.

[Two Best Dogs!]

How a dog copes with stress and problem solving:

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/how-dog-copes-stress-depends-its-temperament

[Two Best Dogs!]

Two unrelated studies here.

New study aka the largest dog genetic disease study: Complex disease and phenotype mapping in the domestic dog (2016)

The domestic dog is becoming an increasingly valuable model species in medical genetics, showing particular promise to advance our understanding of cancer and orthopaedic disease. Here we undertake the largest canine genome-wide association study to date, with a panel of over 4,200 dogs genotyped at 180,000 markers, to accelerate mapping efforts. For complex diseases, we identify loci significantly associated with hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, idiopathic epilepsy, lymphoma, mast cell tumour and granulomatous colitis; for morphological traits, we report three novel quantitative trait loci that influence body size and one that influences fur length and shedding. Using simulation studies, we show that modestly larger sample sizes and denser marker sets will be sufficient to identify most moderate- to large-effect complex disease loci. This proposed design will enable efficient mapping of canine complex diseases, most of which have human homologues, using far fewer samples than required in human studies.

Development of a breeding program for drug detector dogs: based on studies of a breeding population of guide dogs (1996)

(scroll to bottom of page to open a pdf of the entire study. A long but very interesting read! It covers many aspects including temperaments, drive, the different methods of raising, sex variation, coat colours, length of life, health, base dogs, on and on.)

A joint research project was undertaken by the Australian Customs Service (Customs),Royal Guide Dogs Associations of Australia (RGDAA) and The University of Melbourne. The aims were to establish a breeding program for Drug Detector Dogs(Detector Dogs) and to further improve the RGDAA breeding program. Behavioural studies were conducted on the RGDAA breeding population of Labradors(Guide Dog population) and a ‘trial’ breeding population was established by Customs during the research (Detector Dog population). We defined traits important for success as a Detector Dog and designed an aptitude test (CRR test) to measure the traits. We found some sex differences for individual traits within the combined Guide Dog and Detector Dog populations. However, no sex difference was observed in terms of overall performance. Within the Detector Dog population, dogs selected to start a Detector Dog training course performed significantly better on the CRR test than dogs not selected to start a course. (For complete abstract open document)

An audit of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service — Detector Dog Program progress: http://www.anao.gov.au/bpg-innovation/case-1.html

Edited March 19, 2016 by Thistle the dog

[Two Best Dogs!]

Canine Bloat Study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Michael A. Harkey,Beverly Torok-Storb, 3/15/16

Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is an acute, life-threatening condition that occurs at a

high frequency in many large and giant breeds of dogs. Up to 37% of Great Danes will

experience GDV at some time in their life, and the majority of them will die without

immediate medical intervention. Yet the causes of this condition remain a mystery.

There is a clear genetic component to GDV, manifested by breed-, familial- and

gender-specific frequencies of this disease. However, no risk genes have been

identified. We propose that genes of the immune surveillance system play a role in

GDV, mediated through their regulation of the gut microbiome. Here, we compare

variations in candidate genes of the major histocompatibility complex and the innate

immunity system in Great Danes, and test for association with GDV. We find that

specific alleles of the <i>DLA88</i>, <i>DRB1</i> and <i>TLR5</i> genes showed

highly significant association with GDV. These "risk" alleles may serve as powerful

diagnostic tools for identification of dogs at risk for GDV. Understanding their role in

this disease may also lead to much needed preventative therapies and breeding

strategies

[Willem]

... http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/340/art%253A10.1007%252FBF01183005.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2FBF01183005&token2=exp=1458955989~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F340%2Fart%25253A10.1007%25252FBF01183005.pdf%3ForiginUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flink.springer.com%252Farticle%252F10.1007%252FBF01183005*~hmac=43b16bc19c7759029b41e5825f1b8ecfffc61e46e1c2874445453702340f6edc ...some not so light reading about 'THE REINFORCING FUNCTION OF THE EMOTIONS'

[Two Best Dogs!]

These 3 articles are around training - rewards and duration

Comparison of 3 different reinforcements of learning in dogs (Canis familiaris)

Megumi Fukuzawa, Naomi Hayashi

Department of Animal Resource and Sciences, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kameino, Kanagawa, Japan

Effective dog training involves reinforcement of the dog's correct actions in response to specific cues given by the trainer. Food is usually selected as the primary reinforcer (reward), although this selection does not necessarily account for the learning preferences of individual dogs. We evaluated the relationship between reward and learning efficiency. Fifteen dogs were allocated to 3 different reward groups (food, stroking, and praise) and trained by an identical process. The food reward was the only one that shortened the time taken for the response to the command to be completed. However, this difference occurred only in the early training stages and not later in the training process.

The effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and long-term memory in dogs

Helle Demanta, Jan Ladewigb, Thorsten J.S. Balsbya, Torben Dabelsteena

University of Copenhagen

Most domestic dogs are subjected to some kind of obedience training, often on a frequent basis, but the question of how often and for how long a dog should be trained has not been fully investigated. Optimizing the training as much as possible is not only an advantage in the training of working dogs such as guide dogs and police dogs, also the training of family dogs can benefit from this knowledge. We studied the effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and on long-term memory. Forty-four laboratory Beagles were divided into 4 groups and trained by means of operant conditioning and shaping to perform a traditional obedience task, each dog having a total of 18 training sessions. The training schedules of the 4 groups differentiated in frequency (1–2 times per week vs. daily) and duration (1 training session vs. 3 training sessions in a row). Acquisition was measured as achieved training level at a certain time. The dogs’ retention of the task was tested four weeks post-acquisition. Results demonstrated that dogs trained 1–2 times per week had significantly better acquisition than daily trained dogs, and that dogs trained only 1 session a day had significantly better acquisition than dogs trained 3 sessions in a row. The interaction between frequency and duration of training sessions was also significant, suggesting that the two affect acquisition differently depending on the combination of these. The combination of weekly training and one session resulted in the highest level of acquisition, whereas the combination of daily training and three sessions in a row resulted in the lowest level of acquisition. Daily training in one session produced similar results as weekly training combined with three sessions in a row. Training schedule did not affect retention of the learned task; all groups had a high level of retention after 4 weeks. The results of the study can be used to optimize training in dogs, which is important since the number of training sessions often is a limiting factor in practical dog training. The results also suggest that, once a task is learned, it is likely to be remembered for a period of at least four weeks after last practice, regardless of frequency and duration of the training sessions.

The relationship between number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs - this article is behind a paywall

Iben Meyer, Jan Ladewigcorrespondenceemail

Department of Large Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

Despite the fact that most domestic dogs receive some kind of training, surprisingly few studies have been undertaken to analyze the process in detail, e.g. the question of how often training should be done has not been investigated in dogs. According to the Danish animal protection law, laboratory animals, including laboratory dogs, must be habituated to personnel and laboratory procedures before experimentation. In order for the law to be implemented, however, better knowledge about the effect of different training schedules on the learning performance of dogs is needed, something that is also of interest for owners and trainers of family dogs as well as working type dogs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of two different training schedules on the number of training sessions required to reach a certain training level. Using shaping and clicker training, 18 laboratory Beagles were trained to perform a target response. Nine dogs were trained once a week and nine dogs were trained five times a week. The results of the study show that dogs trained once a week learned the shaping exercise in significantly fewer training sessions than dogs trained five times a week. In addition, weekly trained dogs tended to have higher success rates at the different steps of the shaping exercise than the dogs trained five times a week. The dogs trained five times a week completed the shaping exercise in significantly fewer days than the weekly trained dogs. It is concluded that for dogs learning a given skill, weekly training results in better learning performance than training five times a week, when performance is measured in the number of training sessions required to reach a certain training level.