Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time?
Abstract A substantial number of dogs live in animal shelters worldwide. Stressors within the shelter environment can compromise their welfare, and scientific evaluations of feasible welfare assessment methods are therefore needed. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a “whole-animal” approach...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-022-00654-x |
| _version_ | 1811315290938540032 |
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| author | Solveig Marie Stubsjøen Randi Oppermann Moe Cicilie Johannessen Maiken Larsen Henriette Madsen Karianne Muri |
| author_facet | Solveig Marie Stubsjøen Randi Oppermann Moe Cicilie Johannessen Maiken Larsen Henriette Madsen Karianne Muri |
| author_sort | Solveig Marie Stubsjøen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A substantial number of dogs live in animal shelters worldwide. Stressors within the shelter environment can compromise their welfare, and scientific evaluations of feasible welfare assessment methods are therefore needed. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a “whole-animal” approach used to assess welfare by observing animals’ expressive behaviour. To investigate whether observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently over time, this study replicated and extended previous research, by evaluating intra- and inter-observer reliability of QBA based on video recordings of shelter dogs. In Part I, nine veterinary nurse students received theoretical and practical training, and then scored 12 2 min video recordings of shelter dogs using a fixed list of behavioural descriptors. Three of the students undertook further practice and calibration using direct observations of dog behaviour in a local shelter. In Part II, the videos from Part I were scored by these three observers a second time, 15 months later. QBA data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), and reliability was assessed using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W). In Part I, the inter-observer reliability was high for both components (0.78 for PC1 and 0.85 for PC2). In Part II, the inter-observer reliability was very high and moderate for PC1 and PC2, respectively (0.90 for PC1 and 0.65 for PC2). The intra-observer reliability was high for both components (W ≥ 0.86). Our results indicate that the fixed list of behavioural descriptors for shelter dogs can be used reliably when assessing videos, and that observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently after a break of 15 months following the initial assessment. Nevertheless, the reduction in inter-observer-reliability of PC2 in Part II can indicate that some retraining and calibration may be required to avoid observer drift. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:27:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-903c00110e0c4f76bcb1d046772e8c79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-0147 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:27:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
| spelling | doaj.art-903c00110e0c4f76bcb1d046772e8c792022-12-22T02:48:39ZengBMCActa Veterinaria Scandinavica1751-01472022-12-016411510.1186/s13028-022-00654-xCan shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time?Solveig Marie Stubsjøen0Randi Oppermann Moe1Cicilie Johannessen2Maiken Larsen3Henriette Madsen4Karianne Muri5Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Food Safety, Section for Terrestrial Animal Health and Welfare, Norwegian Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life SciencesAbstract A substantial number of dogs live in animal shelters worldwide. Stressors within the shelter environment can compromise their welfare, and scientific evaluations of feasible welfare assessment methods are therefore needed. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a “whole-animal” approach used to assess welfare by observing animals’ expressive behaviour. To investigate whether observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently over time, this study replicated and extended previous research, by evaluating intra- and inter-observer reliability of QBA based on video recordings of shelter dogs. In Part I, nine veterinary nurse students received theoretical and practical training, and then scored 12 2 min video recordings of shelter dogs using a fixed list of behavioural descriptors. Three of the students undertook further practice and calibration using direct observations of dog behaviour in a local shelter. In Part II, the videos from Part I were scored by these three observers a second time, 15 months later. QBA data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), and reliability was assessed using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W). In Part I, the inter-observer reliability was high for both components (0.78 for PC1 and 0.85 for PC2). In Part II, the inter-observer reliability was very high and moderate for PC1 and PC2, respectively (0.90 for PC1 and 0.65 for PC2). The intra-observer reliability was high for both components (W ≥ 0.86). Our results indicate that the fixed list of behavioural descriptors for shelter dogs can be used reliably when assessing videos, and that observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently after a break of 15 months following the initial assessment. Nevertheless, the reduction in inter-observer-reliability of PC2 in Part II can indicate that some retraining and calibration may be required to avoid observer drift.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-022-00654-xAnimal welfareBehaviourFixed list of descriptorsObserver reliabilityQualitative behaviour assessmentShelter dogs |
| spellingShingle | Solveig Marie Stubsjøen Randi Oppermann Moe Cicilie Johannessen Maiken Larsen Henriette Madsen Karianne Muri Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica Animal welfare Behaviour Fixed list of descriptors Observer reliability Qualitative behaviour assessment Shelter dogs |
| title | Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? |
| title_full | Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? |
| title_fullStr | Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? |
| title_short | Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time? |
| title_sort | can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time |
| topic | Animal welfare Behaviour Fixed list of descriptors Observer reliability Qualitative behaviour assessment Shelter dogs |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-022-00654-x |
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