Animal Management

Veterinary Medical Applicationsc 5 B

Whether it's a dog barking a warning, a cat arching its back, or crickets chirping,

animals are constantly sending messages to each

other.

Animal Communication• Like humans, animals use body language to

communicate. • Can you think of some examples of animals

communicating?

• Many animals use sound as a medium for communication as well. Some animals use sounds that are out of the range of human hearing (20-20,000 hertz).

• Elephants for example use low pitch sounds to communicate with other herds up to ten miles away.

• Dolphins and whales also use sound to communicate, singing elaborate songs that are an important part of their social networks.

• On the other hand, some animals come close to mimicking human language.

• Parrots can mime the voice and speech of humans, while gorillas can learn many of the complexities of human sign language.

• One gorilla named Koko, combines signs to make new words and uses them routinely to ask for food and water or express her emotions. She is even able to understand human speech and to respond accordingly.

Communication• Human-animal communication is easily observed in everyday

life. • The interactions between pets and their owners, for example,

reflect a form of spoken, while not necessarily verbal, dialogue.

Terms to know:

• Behavior- the actions or reactions of an animal under a given set of circumstances

• Conditioning- training to cause a response in specific manner to a specific stimulus

• Ethology- the study of animal behavior in a natural environment or habitat

Terms to Know:• Temperament- the manner in

which a particular animal behaves and reacts to various stimuli

• Husbandry- the careful management and care of an animal or group of animals

• Psychotropic- A drug that affects the mind, emotions, or behavior.

Breed Identification:• Being able to identify common breeds of animals

is useful because each breed has it’s own unique traits that can be used to determine behavior and disease patterns

• Breed ID is only a general guideline of how each individual animal will behave.

Breeds Identification Project:• Cattle• Swine• Goats• Lambs• Dogs• Cats• Lizards• Snakes• Birds• Fish• Rabbits

Behavior and Communication

• The study of animal behavior in a natural environment is called ethology

• Learning to understand animal behavior is an important part of animal husbandry

• A trained person can recognize an animal in distress by its abnormal posture or vocalizations

• Vets use their knowledge of animal behavior as a tool

Communication

• Animals communicate using: – Auditory– visual signals– Olfactory– tactile senses

Types of Communication

• What do the following terms mean??– Auditory– Olfactory– Tactile – Visual

• http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/show/2005.12.11/

Auditory

• Animals use sounds to communicate • Animals vocalize when disturbed, distressed or

hungry• Group interactions and relationships are maintained

through sound• Mothers identify their offspring through distinctive

auditory signals

Olfactory

• Breath odor, urine, feces and body odor play a role in olfactory communication

• Individual odor recognition and release of pheromones trigger immediate behaviors

• Use the scent of their urine to mark territory boundaries

Tactile• Touch is used in social bonding,

infant care, grooming, courtship and mating

• Mutual grooming helps to solidify and promote bonding

Visual

• Visual messages may be communicated by a variety of means such as color, posture, shape or movement.

• Visual signals are made by the ears, eyes, tail and general posture of an animal

Aggressive Threat

• Behavior is shown by the pack leader or dominate dog when approaching another individual

Active Submissive

• Behavior shown by a dog to approach a more dominant individual

• Exhibited by dogs other more active animals

Passive Submission

• Behavior shown by a dog that feels it has no other choice or be attacked– Ears flattened against head– Makes no eye contact– Rolls on side to reveal

stomach and genitals– Front legs bent and hanging

limply in the air– Tail tucked tightly to body– May also urinate

Play Initiation

• Behavior frequently seen in puppies, but may also be exhibited by older dogs– Ears raised, mouth opened in a relaxed grin– Lowers front half of body in a “bowing” posture– Tail wags and sometimes entire hindquarters– may nudge or paw individual or present with a toy

Behavior Factors

• Do animals have emotions?• Are the psychological needs of animals the

same as humans?• Should human values be imposed on animals?• These moral and ethical viewpoints are

constantly debated…

Human/Animal Connection• Human and animals are connected spiritually, economically,

and ethically• Humans have a responsibility for the humane care of pets,

zoo, and farm and lab animals• Factors that influence behavior may include:

– Genetics– Health– Environment– Handling of animals

• These factors impact the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of an animal

• The physiological changes such as anorexia, depression or aggression

Environment

• The immediate physical surroundings of the animal including:– Cleanliness– Temperature– Humidity– lightning and noise– human contact and social interaction– enclosure size

Health

• An animal’s state of physical and mental health can contribute to abnormal behavior.

• Animals in pain or poor health may be more aggressive

• Surgical procedures such as castration and spaying are used to reduce aggression and roaming

• Psychotropic drugs can be used to reduce fears and anxieties, depression or aggression

Experience• The way an animal is raised affects it’s behavior• Early enrichment and exposure to common situations should

be encouraged• Can you explain the term “imprinting?”

Genetics• Genetics play a role in basic

temperament and behavioral characteristics

• Animal breeders have long recognized the heritability of basic temperaments in familial lines

• Many aspects of animal behavior are also affected by evolution

• Dogs exhibit behaviors shaped by their wolf ancestors

• Comparative studies have shown that there are breed and species differences in learning ability

Basic Training Theories

• Positive Reinforcement• Negative Reinforcement• Punishment• Extinction

Can you compare and contrasts these techniques?

Positive Reinforcement

• Correct behavior is rewarded with a pleasant stimulus.• Example: dog is told to sit, it sits, dog receives treat

within 3 to 5 seconds• Owner can also reinforce unwanted behavior with

positive reinforcement– Allowing dog to come inside when barding encourages

barking– Allowing begging, stealing, and jumping on people

encourages these behaviors– Showing excitement or even mild punishment can be a

reward if dog is getting attention

Negative Reinforcement

• **NOT PUNISHMENT**• Animal escapes or avoids an unpleasant

stimulus by performing a behavior• Example; using a choke collar to make dog sit,

dog avoids tightening collar by sitting• Fear-biting is negatively reinforced.• Person approaches (negative stimulus) dog

bites, person back away removing the negative stimulus and rewarding the dog

Punishment

• The presentation of a negative stimulus immediately following a behavior that serves to decrease the probability that the behavior will be repeated

• This is the most over-used and abusing behavior modification technique

• *Punishment after the fact is not affective**

Extinction

• Removal of positive reinforcement• Example- ignoring a barking dog• This behavior may increase for a while, but

eventually the barking will stop• The trick is that you must outlast the dog• This is one of the most effective techniques,

but is difficult to implement correctly

Homework

• In 350 words or more, discuss some of the ways in which animals communicate

• Discuss the reasons and techniques behind their communication and how their communication with each other differs from their communication with man

• Consider: hunger, territory, mating desire, illness etc…