Understanding Dogs, and Howthat Shapes Our Work

Sezan OzgunayBSc (Hons), MSc, CCAB

Overview

• The meaning of ‘Dog’• What dogs need• Canine communication• Practical applications

Behaviour, welfare, and practicalapplications

• The behaviour a dog is demonstrating indicates itswelfare state.

• Promoting good welfare often goes hand in hand withpromoting good behaviour.

• Practically, we can consider the behaviour of dogs andhow that relates to their welfare in terms of rescue,handling, first aid, shelter care and rehoming.

The meaning of ‘Dog’

• Opportunistic hunters/scavengers/foragers. Good problemsolvers!

• Different relationships with people across the globe: pets,pests, utility, entertainment, food source..

• Likely to be first species domesticated,approx 15,0000ya, from ancestor of GreyWolf.

• Social, ability to form cross speciesbonds.

• Strong sense of smell, dichromatic vision.

What does ‘welfare’ mean to you?

‘State as regards to attempts to cope with environment’ – Broom 1986

Emotional lives of dogs

Negative emotions:

•Anxiety•Fear•Frustration•(Loneliness? Boredom? ..)

Positive emotions:•‘Happiness’ …. ?

Improving welfare

• Provide opportunities to fulfill‘natural’ behaviours andoperate environment.

• Reduce negatives, maximizepositives

• Prioritising needs

• Optimise physical and psychological health

FAWC 5 freedoms1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh

water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapiddiagnosis and treatment.

3. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions andtreatment which avoid mental suffering.

4. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriateenvironment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

5. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficientspace, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5 Freedoms in shelters?• Diet: water, food, amount, type, frequency, form.

• Pain, injury and disease: veterinary care, hygiene,handling, equipment, physical (sharp edges/hazards) andsocial (aggression from other dogs?).

• Fear and distress: handling and treatment by people,interactions with other dogs, noises, experiences.

• Discomfort: temperature, ventilation, resting area, space,light, shelter, noise, hygiene.

• Express normal behaviour: physical and socialenvironment and opportunities. Enrichment.

Security of self, resources and significant othersSafety

Affiliative behaviour and social inclusionSocial networks

Metabolic stability (hunger, thirst, maintaining bodytemperature) Physiology

Confidence and ability tocope with uncertainty

Resilience

Problem solvingReachingcognitivepotential

Based on Maslow’shierarchy of human needs:

Health and behaviour

Pain or disease can effect an animal’s ability tobehave as he would normally:

• Change in eating, drinking, sleeping, toileting• Lethargy or weakness• Heightened sensitivity• Emotions – extreme responses or a lack of• Change in sleep patterns• Anxiety/ fear/ frustration• Aggression!

How do we know if dogs are suffering?

• Behavioural observations (signs of fear, anxiety, pain,frustration?)

• Individual assessments over time.

• Reduction or absence of maintenance behaviours(sleeping, eating, drinking, toileting).

• Physical indicators (injury, disease?)

• Inferred suffering (in pain? poor conditions?)

• Is good welfare simply the absence of suffering?

What do dogs enjoy?

• Relaxing, running, chewing, training, chasing, tugging, searching, stroking,digging, swimming?

• Individual differences

• Alone, with people, with dogs?

Learning and behaviourDogs are always learning about the good and the bad things in

life - how to predict and attain or avoid them.

With this framework in mind, we can understand WHY dogsbehave the way they do, and WHAT we can do to help change

behaviour using reward based methods

Attainment

• Behaving in a way to attain a reward• Social? Diet? Environmental?• Seeking

Avoidance

• Behaving in a way to avoid something the dog dislikes/isscared of..

1 - Move away?2 - Appeasement (lower body, cower, roll over?)3 - Aggression? Usually a last resort!

Frustration

Emotional state•Unmet expectations•Physical or psychological barriers tocontrol•Obtain or retain something of value•Unfulfilled motivations

McPeake et al 2016

Canine communication

• Dogs are great communicators.

• Auditory, chemical, visual communication.

• If we understand the signals, we can understand how theyare feeling and what they are likely to do next …

• Recognising signs of fear and frustration allow us to assessand reduce risk, whilst ensuring good welfare.

Face• Tense muscle tone, furrowed brow.

• Ears: pinned back, rigid and upright.

• Eyes: dilated pupils, whites of eyes showing or tightly shut. Avoiding eye contactor may be fixated/staring.

• Mouth: heavy panting, salivating, yawning, lip licking, baring teeth, wrinklingmuzzle, cheek puffing, tight lips.

Body Posture

• Muscles tense• Frozen!• Hackles up• Trembling• Front paw raised• Holding weight back and/ or low (cowering)• Holding weight rigid and upright, weight forward• Rolling onto back with stiff body posture exposing belly, possibly raising one hind leg• Tail: May be wagging! Held straight up, tense downwards, or between legs

Action• Freeze!!!

• Aggression, appeasement, avoidance

• Displacement (sniffing, licking, etc.)

• Reluctant to come forward or follow a command

• Attention seeking: jumping up, mouthing, leaning in

• Boisterous or over-exited, won’t keep still

• Won’t take treats

• Abnormal repetitive behaviours (e.g. spinning)

Up next … practical.

• For each following photo..

• Does the dog appearrelaxed, alert, friendly,scared, aggressive …

• How can you tell?

Behaviour, welfare, and practicalapplications

• The behaviour a dog is demonstrating indicates itswelfare state.

• Promoting good welfare often goes hand in hand withpromoting good behaviour.

• Practically, we can consider the behaviour of dogs andhow that relates to their welfare in terms of rescue,handling, first aid, shelter care and rehoming.

Rescue, handling and first aid

• Stop and look. Assess behaviour before approaching.

• Use minimal level of force required to achieve goal.Scaring the dog may increase the risk of aggression, andteach the dog to be fearful in the future.

• If dog appears aggressive but handling is essential, PLANthe best strategy to minimise stress whilst ensuringhandler safety. Consider equipment used.

The role of learning

The key to preventing problems is to IDENTIFY anxiety and fear,and OPTIMISE handling techniques to improve the animals

experience.

Aim to reduce fear andprevent the development

of problems!

Approach

Avoid:

• Leaning over• Staring face on• Invading their space• Hands going over top of head

Approach

•Ignore them – stand side on/at adistance. Avoid eye contact.

•Let them approach you if safe to do so.Use calm vocal encouragement/ food.

•Keep movements smooth and relaxed.The animal may be worried by fast orjumpy movements.

• Avoid handling or training methods that aim to inhibitbehaviour or rely on fear or discomfort.

• Use positive reward based methods to build positiverelationships and shape desirable behaviours.

• Show compassion at all times,aggression is often caused by pain orfear - and can be reduced withthe right handling techniques!

Equipment• Slip leads• Towels• Catch poles• Nets• Barriers• Cages• Bite sticks• Muzzles: Nylon and basket• Elizabethan collars

Photo credit Dr Sophia Yin

Transport

• Entry and removal• Space• Restraint• Temperature• Duration• Comfort• Safety

In shelters, recap

• Health care• Diet• Hygiene• Shelter• Choices• Resting areas• Social• Enrichment

From shelter to home• Match dogs with prospective homes based on the

requirements of the dog AND the owner.

• Consider the dogs age, breed/type, energy levels, background(stray, pet, utility?).

• Consider the owners environment (garden, house, flat, city,rural, other pets, family members?).

• What does the owner want? (Companion, guardian, in houseor outdoors?).

• Educate owners on providing for dogs behavioural andphysiological needs (remember 5 freedoms)

Key points summary• Dogs are a highly adaptable, social species, that can form

close bonds with people

• Meet basic needs as a priority (health, safety).

• Striver for higher needs as best practice (problem solving,enrichment, social networks).

• 5 Freedoms gives a framework for welfare in shelters.

• Improve dog welfare, behaviour and human safety byreducing fear, anxiety and frustration.

Further reading and resources

• Broom, D. M., & Fraser, A. F. (2015). Domestic animal behaviourand welfare. (Book)

• Broom, D.M. (1991). Animal Welfare: concepts and measurement.• Rooney et al. (2009) A practitioners guide to working dog welfare.• Dogs Trust Dog School:https://www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/dog-school/• National Dog Warden association, guide for handling dogs:http://www.ndwa.co.uk/media/guidance-for-handling-dogs.pdf• RSPCA guide for kennelling seized dogs:https://view.pagetiger.com/RSPCAKennellingGuide2014/issue1/page3.htm