Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting?
Inappropriate leash reactivity is one of the most common problems in shelter dogs, which negatively affects the health of dogs and reduces their adoptability. We explored 370 human-dog interactions, involving 74 volunteers and 111 dogs, in an animal shelter when volunteers walked shelter dogs on a l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/26 |
| _version_ | 1827699267041492992 |
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| author | Hao-Yu Shih Mandy B. A. Paterson Fillipe Georgiou Clive J. C. Phillips |
| author_facet | Hao-Yu Shih Mandy B. A. Paterson Fillipe Georgiou Clive J. C. Phillips |
| author_sort | Hao-Yu Shih |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Inappropriate leash reactivity is one of the most common problems in shelter dogs, which negatively affects the health of dogs and reduces their adoptability. We explored 370 human-dog interactions, involving 74 volunteers and 111 dogs, in an animal shelter when volunteers walked shelter dogs on a leash, considering the effects of canine demographics and the results of the shelter’s canine behavioural assessments. The interaction was video recorded and coded using ethograms, and a leash tension meter was used to measure the pull strength of dogs and handlers. Results showed that dogs that were more relaxed during the shelter assessment (i.e., when socialising with humans or being left alone in a new environment) were less reactive on the leash, with lower tension and pulling frequency. Moreover, socialised and relaxed dogs displayed more positive body language, such as tail in a high position, gazing at the handler, and exploring the environment. When walking with these dogs, volunteers utilised fewer verbal cues and body language during the walk. In addition to the canine behaviour assessment, there were correlations between canine demographics and the behavioural interaction and humans’ perception. Finally, volunteers perceived the walk as less satisfactory when they needed to pull the leash harder during the walk. This research suggests that the RSPCA behavioural assessment may be useful in predicting the behaviour of shelter dogs when walked by volunteers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:45:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a71d02852ba47889e378e1d2561e66c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:45:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a71d02852ba47889e378e1d2561e66c2023-11-21T02:36:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-12-011112610.3390/ani11010026Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting?Hao-Yu Shih0Mandy B. A. Paterson1Fillipe Georgiou2Clive J. C. Phillips3Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaCentre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCurtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA6845, AustraliaInappropriate leash reactivity is one of the most common problems in shelter dogs, which negatively affects the health of dogs and reduces their adoptability. We explored 370 human-dog interactions, involving 74 volunteers and 111 dogs, in an animal shelter when volunteers walked shelter dogs on a leash, considering the effects of canine demographics and the results of the shelter’s canine behavioural assessments. The interaction was video recorded and coded using ethograms, and a leash tension meter was used to measure the pull strength of dogs and handlers. Results showed that dogs that were more relaxed during the shelter assessment (i.e., when socialising with humans or being left alone in a new environment) were less reactive on the leash, with lower tension and pulling frequency. Moreover, socialised and relaxed dogs displayed more positive body language, such as tail in a high position, gazing at the handler, and exploring the environment. When walking with these dogs, volunteers utilised fewer verbal cues and body language during the walk. In addition to the canine behaviour assessment, there were correlations between canine demographics and the behavioural interaction and humans’ perception. Finally, volunteers perceived the walk as less satisfactory when they needed to pull the leash harder during the walk. This research suggests that the RSPCA behavioural assessment may be useful in predicting the behaviour of shelter dogs when walked by volunteers.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/26on-leash walkcanine behavioural assessmentleash tensionbehaviourverbal cuebody gesture |
| spellingShingle | Hao-Yu Shih Mandy B. A. Paterson Fillipe Georgiou Clive J. C. Phillips Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? Animals on-leash walk canine behavioural assessment leash tension behaviour verbal cue body gesture |
| title | Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? |
| title_full | Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? |
| title_fullStr | Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? |
| title_short | Do Canine Behavioural Assessments and Characteristics Predict the Human-Dog Interaction When Walking on a Leash in a Shelter Setting? |
| title_sort | do canine behavioural assessments and characteristics predict the human dog interaction when walking on a leash in a shelter setting |
| topic | on-leash walk canine behavioural assessment leash tension behaviour verbal cue body gesture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/26 |
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