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Dogs: Effect on Human Mental and
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 Dogs:
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Dogs:
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Dogs:
Behaviour and training
Reviews
of Dog books, including books on health
Reviews
of Dog books, including books on behaviour
Your faeces, my furry friend, are blowin' in the wind
Most winter airborne bacteria in three US cities originates from canine faeces
source: New Scientist vol 211 no 2825, August 13 2011 p16
Most winter airborne bacteria in three US cities originate from canine faeces, according to Noah Fierer, from Colorado University, Boulder. He and his team used DNA analysis to test air from Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. Summer air includes bacteria from tree leaves, soil and dog faeces. Winter air has less bacteria, since there are fewer leaves, and ice and snow may cover soil. The bacteria are at low concentrations, so unlikely to give rise to disease in humans.
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'Vicious' dog, vicious owner?
Owners can affect dogs' behaviour
New Scientist vol 202 no 2704, April 18 2009 p15
A study of owners of dogs from breeds sometimes seen as 'vicious' has found that these owners are more likely to confess to fighting, usage of illegal drugs, vandalism and other crimes, than are owners of other breeds, or people who do not own dogs. The study was carried out by Laurie Ragatz and a team from West Virginia University, Morgantown, who used a questionnaire with 758 students. The study classed breeds as vicious if they were seen as posing a high risk of injuring people according to the American Kennel Club. The study was reported in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2009.
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Barking dog saves child
German shepherd alerts owner and saves child
source: Guardian November 27 2003 p9
A German shepherd dog travelling in the back seat of a car with a child,
alerted the owner when the child stopped breathing. The 18-month-old child
has since left hospital.
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To the rescue
Newfoundland dogs are trained to rescue humans from water
source: Justine Hankins
Guardian Weekend October 18 2003 p83
Newfoundland dogs were bred to work in the sea off Newfoundland, carrying
catches, or pulling boats. They are large, strong and placid dogs, with double-layered
coats giving good insulation, and skin between their toes.
Newfound Friends is an organization that organizes rescues using this breed,
and helps train lifeguards working at the Cotswold Water Park.Newfoundland
dogs like to get muddy and wet. The dogs were originally used to carry cargo,
but instinctively helped humans in trouble, and were reknowned for these life-saving
feats by the early 19th century. They still perform a role as life-savers
in the US, France, and some other countries. They can be taught to turn over
unconscious people so their heads are above the water level. Newfoundland
dogs have also been taught to jump from helicopters.
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Sheepdog saves man who put message in a bottle
Border collie saves homeless man
source: Kirsty Scott
Guardian August 8 2003 p9
A homeless man found himself ill in a deserted farmhouse, and put a message
asking for help in a bottle, which he threw from a window. A border collie
called Ben found the bottle, and took it to his owner, who found the homeless
man. The man had suffered an attack of asthma, and had not eaten for over
a week. He recovered after a stay in hospital.
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Breaking the silence
Work of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
source: Justine Hankins
Guardian Weekend May 24 2003 p63
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a charity which provides some 125 dogs annually
to people with serious hearing problems. The dogs have been taught to respond
to doorbells, fire alarms, and other everyday sounds. The dogs help by making
life safer for deaf people, and they can also break through the isolation
that many deaf people feel.
The dogs themselves often come from rescue organizations, and their size
and breed are unimportant. The dogs are taught to take their owners to where
sounds are coming from, using rewards. The dogs are also taught an 'alert
signal', a particular way of lying, for when they hear an emergency sound.
Assistance Dogs UK has five members, including Hearing Dogs, guide dogs for
blind people, Support Dogs, and Dogs for the Disabled. Dogs should be allowed
access to locations where dogs are generally banned, if they are registered
as assistance dogs. This does not always occur, and education is seen as the
best way to improve access for assistance dogs. The Disability Discrimination
Act can be used to prosecute services and businesses that deny access.
Deaf people aged over 18-years-old are eligible for hearing dogs, and they
are good companions as well as working dogs.
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Canine cancer detectors
Cambridge University researchers may use sniffer dogs to detect
cancers
source: Guardian April 28 2003 p7
Researchers from Addenbrooke's hospital and Cambridge University, England,
may use sniffer dogs to detect prostate cancer in its early stages, though
smelling samples of patients' urine. The plan is for a 12-month trial, so
long as funds can be obtained.
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Vulture deaths bring rise in rabies
Drop in Indian vulture population leads to increase in rabies
cases
source: Paul Brown
Guardian February 4 2003 p13
There has been a sharp increase in feral dog numbers in India, as a result
of a sharp drop in the number of vultures. This has led to a rise in cases
of rabies. India has the highest number of deaths from rabies of all countries
in the world. The vultures have been hit by a virus which has led to the disappearance
of some 97% of them. Vultures performed a useful role in scavenging. Butchers,
for example, would throw offal outside their shops, and it would be taken
by vultures, but this no longer happens because the vultures have gone.
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Give the dog a gong
Dogs win awards
source: Justine Hankins
Guardian Weekend January 11 2003 p51
Dogs tend to be awarded more prizes than other pets. One assistance dog that
has won many awards is called Endal. He is a labrador, and Canine Partners
for Independence trained him to help Allen Parton, his owner who was seriously
injured in the Gulf War. Endal can shop, buy bus tickets, and use a cashpoint.
Other award-winning dogs include a Scottish search and rescue dog called Rosie.
She has rescued a 3-year-old child who was missing at night. Dogs for the
Disabled also has many dogs that the organization sees as worthy of rewards.
The dogs realise that they have been rewarded, and their biscuits are well-earned.
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Human toxicariasis and direct contact with dogs
Petting infected dogs may put humans at risk from toxicariasis
source: A.Wolfe and I.P. Wright
Veterinary Record vol 152, no 14, April 5 2003
Starts p419, 4 pages long
Toxicariasis canis is a nematode which lives as an adult in the small intestines
of canids such as foxes and the domestic dog. Eggs are shed through canid
faeces, and take 2-7 weeks to become infective. The most important way that
dogs are infected is through their mothers, and infection rates when dams
are not wormed can reach almost 100%. Dogs can also become infected when suckling,
and from eating infected small rodents. Dogs tend to develop immunity as they
age. Some 2%-31% of the healthy European human population could have antibodies
to toxicariasis, though there is a low incidence of clinical toxicariasis
in Europe. Humans can become infected in different ways, one of which may
be ingesting contaminated soil, though there is little evidence to support
this.
This study investigates results found after testing hair clippings from 60
pet, farm, and shelter dogs from the UK and Ireland. The hair was removed
from the tail underside, the perianal region, and the caudal area of the dogs'
back legs. No sample had visible faecal staining. T canis eggs were found
on 15 of the dogs, or 25% of the total sample, with 71 eggs recovered, 24%
embryonating and 4% embryonated. Embryonated and embryonating eggs were found
at higher densities than those recorded in samples of soil.
There do not appear to be strong links between humans testing seropositive
for Tcanis,and soil contamination. Seroprevalence tends to be higher in some
rural than urban areas, despite urban densities of dogs being higher. Humans
have a three-fold increase in risk of contracting toxicariasis if they have
a dog in the household, and a five-fold increase if they have a litter of
puppies at home. Owners of more than one dog are also more at risk. A higher
proportion of people in rural areas own dogs, so have more direct contact.
Ireland has the highest European dog ownership rate, and the highest seroprevalence
rate.
Most infected dogs were found to have hair with non-infective T canis eggs,
and many humans may have exposure to T canis antigens, but no disease. Direct
contact with dogs appears to be more important for transmission of T canis
to humans than transmission through contaminated soil.
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Postmen stamp out roaming dogs danger
New Zealand Post to use dog rangers to protect postmen
source: Kathy Marks
Independent January 23 2003 p14
New Zealand Post is to use dog rangers with poles and nooses to protect postmen
in parts of Auckland where roaming dogs are a serious hazard. This follows
30 cases of dogs biting postmen over six months in Otara, Auckland. Postmen
have even ceased to deliver mail in some streets in Otara. The local authority
also plans to tackle the problem of unregistered dogs.
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Market losses force Guide Dogs association to impose severe
cuts
Cutbacks at Guide Dogs for the Blind
source: Terri Judd
Independent 6 September 2002 p5
British charity Guide Dogs for the Blind, is close all residential centres,
and may shed 150 jobs. The cutbacks are the result of losses on the charity's
stock portfolio in 2001. The charity has also overspent. Guide Dogs for the
Blind is putting 31 district teams in place of 15 training centres. This change
should help improve the flexibility of the service offered by the charity,
as well as cutting costs, the charity notes. People increasingly want training
in their own homes. Guide Dogs' income comes from legacies and donations,
which are forecast to decline. There are some 4,800 users of the charity's
guide dogs.
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Dog sparks health alert for owners
Concern about risk to humans from Brucella canis
source: James Meikle Guardian August 24 2002 p14
The first case of Brucella canis has been reported in Britain, and affected
a pet dog owned by a Spanish family which had journeyed from the US. Brucella
canis can be treated using antibiotics, and leads to symptoms resembling influenza,
such as fatigue and a high temperature. Damage to the heart is a risk, though
is rare. The case was discovered in Berkshire, England, after the dog had
been released from quarantine. Vets argue that the possibility of brucellosis
should be investigated if dogs show symptoms of urinary tract disease or spinal
problems, and have come from areas where the disease is endemic. The dog has
been cured, and has since travelled between Spain and the UK, using the pet
travel scheme, where no quarantine is needed. The case does lead to concern,
with more pets travelling from one country to another. Public health scientist,
Robert Smith, argues that pets that are well cared for should not pose a risk
for their owners, especially if vets are alert.
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German postmen put dogs on the couch
German postal authorities train postmen to deal with dogs
source: Jane Burgermeister
Guardian November 21 2002 p17
Deutsche Post, the German postal services company, has started to train postmen
to help them deal with dogs they meet on their rounds. The company filed 1,874
complaints against owners of dogs in 2001. Deutsche Post has considered and
decided against usage of CS gas against dogs. Over 12,000 working days are
lost as a result of dogs, the company claims. Animal psychiatist are teaching
postmen to understand canine body language better,in order to recognize and
avoid impending trouble. A trainer noted that dogs see postmen as coming onto
their territory.
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Three children savaged by dogs
Three separate dog attacks on children in England
source: Independent May 29 2002 p6
Three children have been injured in separate attacks by dogs in England.
A six-year-old boy is in hospital in Sheffield following an attack by a Japanese
akita, a seven-year-old girl has been attacked by a pit bull in Newcastle,
and a 10-year-old girl has been attacked by a rottweiler in Wolverhampton.
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Co-operative interactions between blind persons and
their dogs
Studies of British and Hungarian blind owners and their
dogs
source: Sz. Naderi, A.Miklosi, A. Doka, and V. Csanyi
Applied Animal Behaviour
Science vol 74 no 1, 11 September 2001
starts p59, 22 pages long
Cooperation has been analysed in a number of ways, and involves working together
towards the same goal. Sometimes dominant animals use aggression to force
submissive animals to co-operate, and such behaviour cannot be called a complex
cooperative interaction. Species with strong dominance hierarchies may cooperate
less, as is shown by observing monkey species. Flexible dominant hierarchies
appear to be necessary for cooperation, or attachments formed between members
of a group.
Dogs and humans have long cooperated, and cooperation between blind owners
and their dogs is an example of complex cooperation. Training includes teaching
the dogs to walk straight ahead in the middle of pavements, unless obstacles
are present, without turning corners, unless a command is given, ensuring
that owners do not bump their heads, and tackling traffic.
The first study investigated how different training methods used in Britain
and Hungary affected cooperation between owners and their dogs. This study
involved 20 blind owners from Britain, 7 of whom used Labradors, 3 used yellow
labs, 3 used golden retrievers, 4 used lab-golden retriever crosses, and there
was one collie-retriever cross, one poodle retriever cross, and one German
shepherd (GSD). They had all owned their dogs for a minimum of one year. There
were 14 Hungarians with 9 GSDs, four Labrador retrievers, and one Airedale.
The owners were videotaped taking a walk with their dogs, and the videos
were analysed to see which initiated actions. The British and Hungarian groups
showed marked similarities, and patterns emerged. Blind people were likely
to initiate much of the starting, turning, slowing down and stopping, whereas
dogs appeared to have full control of initiation only in the case of avoidance.
The dogs and their owners took turns to initiate activities, though dogs were
more likely to initiate in long sequences, sometimes with three to four actions
initiated by dogs followed by one action initiated by owners.
A second study looked at differences between trained dogs with blind owners,
and naïve pet dogs with blindfolded owners, in terms of their ability
to go through obstacle courses. There were 18 guide dogs, 9 Labrador retrievers,
5 German shepherds, 3 Golden retrievers, and one Rottweiler. There were 13
pet dogs, 9 Tervueren, 2 Groenandael, and a Malinois and a Boxer.
The trained guide dogs and blind owners made fewer mistakes, and were faster.
Blind dog owners were more willing to allow their dogs to take the initiative
for longer, or guide dogs did not need their owners to interfere in tackling
some of the obstacle. However, the differences between the guide and pet dogs
were not as great as might have been expected.
Behaviour does not appear to have been affected by breed in either study,
and a larger-scale study would be needed to detect the influence of breed.
Guide dogs have been trained using operant conditioning methods, and their
role has been seen as leading their owners. However, ethology shows that cooperation
is involved in leading owners, with both participants playing important roles.
Initiation rates differed between pairs of dogs and owners, with some dogs
initiating more whereas with other pairs, the humans initiated more. In no
case, however, did either the owner or the dog initiate more than 80% of the
activities.
The similarities found between the British and Hungarian owners and dogs
may be because the owners and dogs had got used to one another, and some parts
of trained behaviour were altered or disappeared.
The ability to cooperate seems to be partly inherited, since some pet dogs
also showed this ability. Guide dog training seems to depend partly on dogs’
innate ability to cooperate and observe humans. Cooperation can be understood
at an action level (eg avoiding, starting, etc) and at a program level (eg
travelling to a shop). Both parties have to be able to follow an initiator
at action level, and both have to work out who is initiating and take turn
in initiating for continuous cooperation. Dogs are unaware of owners’
planned actions, and owners do not have visual information. A rapid interchange
of situation-dependent leadership is made possible through co-operation. A
relaxed hierarchical relationship appears to have emerged between humans and
dogs, which has helped foster this kind of co-operation. Effective interaction
is only possible if each party can take the lead, or accept the other party
taking the lead, and a mutual ability to change roles of initiators is needed
for this interaction to happen.
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Freud’s dream companions
Dogs helped Freud through illness
source: Susie Green
Guardian, Weekend March 23 2002 p67
Sigmund Freud did not have a dog until he was in his 70s, when he was given
a German Shepherd called Wolf, by Anna, his daughter, in the 1920s. Anna later
complained that he transferred his affected from her to Wolf. Freud was then
given a chow called Lun-Yu, in 1928, but she was hit by a train and killed
15 months later. He was greatly saddened by her death, and then felt able
to take on her sister, called Jofi, who became his close companion.
Jofi was always fed choice tit-bits when Freud was eating. He suffered from
cancer of the jaw, which made eating painful, so sometimes she ate the whole
of his meal, and she became a little tubby. She was a great comfort to Freud
when he was wearied by his illness, and when he suffered pain from his operations.
He wrote that she seemed to understand everything, her sympathy for him was
so great.
Jofi’s death in 1937 caused Freud intense grief, and he wondered whether
he would get over her loss. He noted that it was not easy to recover since
she had shared seven years of closeness with him.
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Should people with epilepsy have untrained dogs as pets?
Need for people with epilepsy to own trained, rather
than untrained dogs
source: Val Strong and Stephen W. Brown
Seizure (9) 2000
starts p427, 4 pages long
Dogs can bring major improvements to human wellbeing, and this includes people
with epilepsy. Dogs can be trained to warn their owners of an approaching
seizure, giving warnings from between 15 to 45 minutes before a seizure actually
happens. These Seizure Alert Dogs are trained by a charity called SUPPORT
DOGS. The dogs do need to be trained properly, however, and there can be problems
if untrained dogs live with people who have epilepsy.
Untrained dogs may react in a variety of ways, based on survival strategies,
involving flight, fight, freeze, or appeasement. Seizure Alert Dogs are trained
to see human seizures as something positive, whereas untrained dogs are anxious
and restless prior to a seizure. Owners often say their dogs run to tell another
person when is seizure is due, but this is an escape response. Untrained dogs
have also been recorded as becoming aggressive following their owners’
seizures, attacking their owners during a seizure, becoming agitated and fearful,
running away, and even suffering seizures at the same time as the owner.
SUPPORT DOGS selects dogs for training, and has trained 20 of these dogs
within six months. Their owners had less frequent seizures after the training
was completed. These dogs can give greater independence to people who have
epilepsy. A specialist in this sort of training is needed, since there are
risks to the public, the owner, and the dog, if the dog is not trained properly.
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Lean on me
Dogs help homeless people
source: Adam Macqueen and Tina Jackson
Guardian Weekend December 15 2001 p79
Dogs are valued by many homeless people as friends who can also protect them,
and they can motivate their owners and give them a feeling of belonging. St
Mungo’s is one important charity in London, England, which runs accommodation
schemes where owners can stay with their dogs. The National Canine Defence
League also helps homeless dog owners, by providing free treatment through
its Hope project, started in 1996. Vets from the project often note that homeless
people’s dogs are well socialised and healthy. The Hope Project neuters
and vaccinates dogs, distributes food, toys, and other donations from manufacturers
such as Pedigree, and helps homeless people and their dogs with winter shelter.
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Too much to bear
Dachshund saves elk hunter from bear
source: Independent on Sunday November 11 2001 p6
An elk hunter in Sweden has been saved from a bear by his dachshund dog.
The hunter was being mauled by the bear when the dachshund attacked, by biting
the bear’s private parts and hanging on until the bear ran away.
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Ruff love
Maryland scheme brings at-risk boys and abandoned dogs
together
source: Rachelle Detweiler
The Animals' Agenda March-April 2000
starts p28, 2 pages long
A scheme near Baltimore, Maryland, set up in May 1999, brings at-risk boys
and abandoned dogs together. The boys learn to train the dogs and benefit
from achieving cooperation without violence or threats. They learn new problem-solving
skills. The dogs are non-judgemental, and can help the boys deal with suppressed
emotions. Both the dogs and the boys may have shown anti-social behaviour.
The boys learn to analyze the dogs' behaviour when they act out, and this
reinforces the training that the boys themselves are receiving. The Baltimore
Police Department notes that abuse of animals can be linked to violence against
humans. The boys respect animals more when they go back home.
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Dog bites off man's genitals
Pit bull terrier cross attacks man in Wolverhampton,
England
source: Guardian September 2 2000 p11
An American pit bull terrier cross-breed dog has bitten off the genitals
of a 26-year-old man in Wolverhampton, England. The man is recovering after
surgery. The dog was owned by a friend of his, and will reportedly be destroyed.
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Drunk gets up pit bull's nose
Pit bull terrier bites off part of man's nose in Amsterdam,
Netherlands
source: Guardian October 19 2000 p20
A pit bull terrier has bitten off part of a man's nose in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The 43-year-old man was drunk in a market in Amsterdam. He placed his nose
in the muzzle of the dog, seeking to rub noses with it. He has been treated
in hospital.
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Pet dog 'Tyson' kills owner
Staffordshire bull terrier kills owner in Belgium
source: Independent July 18 2000 p13
A Staffordshire bull terrier has killed a man aged 28-years-old in the Belgian
town of Herstal. The dog attacked its owner when he was getting up from bed.,
and he later died in hospital from neck wounds.
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Shocked Germans to execute thousands of 'killer' dogs
Tighter regulations on attack dogs in Germany after child
is killed
source: Imre Karacs
Independent on Sunday July 2 2000 p26
Regulations on attack dogs in Germany have been tightened after a pit pull
terrier killed a six-year-old boy in Hamburg. The pit bull, Zeus, and a Staffordshire
terrier, Gypsy, jumped a fence and attacked a group of children. The boy,
Vulkan, tried to run away, and Zeus bit and held onto his throat. Gypsy also
seriously mauled a child. Armed police shot both dogs, but Vulkan had died
before they arrived.
The federal government of Germany had previously taken a gradual approach,
arguing that regions should take control of dangerous dogs. This attack on
children has led to a change in policy. The Hamburg government has decided
that attack dogs should be tested for aggression, with dogs failing the test
being put down. Other regions are also seeking tougher measures to control
dogs. Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, has called on his cabinet to draft measures
on control of dogs. There has been more coordination between regional governments,
and attack dogs will have to be neutered, muzzled and registered, with imports
prohibited. Penalties for non-compliance include a three-year jail sentence.
The new regulations have led to some attack dogs being abandoned, and there
is a shortage of muzzles in pet shops.
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Puppy love
People with dogs interact more easily with strangers
source: Michael Day
New Scientist Feburary 19 2000 p21
Researchers from Warwick University, England, have found that people are
more likely to interact with someone with a dog, whatever that person's appearance.
Researcher, June McNicholas, used a dog trained to leave strangers alone.
She recorded her interactions with strangers over five days when she had the
dog with her, and five days when she did not. There were 156 interactions
when she had the dog, compared to 50 interactions when she did not. Men accounted
for 60% of the interactions. A male researcher did the same thing, dressed
scruffily and dressed smartly. The number of interactions with strangers increased
tenfold when he had a dog, however he was dressed. McNicholas suggests that
dog owners could train their dogs to wag their tails at strangers they find
attractive. This research was reported in British Journal of Psychology, vol
91, p61.
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Pining for pets may damage your health
Research planned on dog owners who go away on holiday
without their pets
source: Jonathon Carr-Brown
Independent on Sunday December 19 1999 p12
source: Roger Dobson
Independent July 12 2000 p5
Research at the University of Wales, Swansea, will study the effect on dog
owners of going on holiday without their pets, comparing this group with owners
who take their pets on holiday. Psychologists suggest that leaving a pet behind
could cause stress and anxiety, which could lead to cardiovascular problems
and affect the immune system. The Society of Companion Animal Studies supports
the research. The aims is to show the health benefits from owning dogs, and
to convince the National Health Service to permit dogs as visitors in hospitals.
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Postman wins 4,750 pounds sterling for dog bite
British postman awarded compensation for dog bite
source: Guardian May 6 2000 p22
A postman has been awarded 4,750 pounds sterling in compensation for having been bitten by a springer spaniel, Toby. He will receive additional payments for his legal costs and loss of earnings. The incident occurred in Oct 1998, when the dog bit the postman, who was delivering mail, in the groin. The postman is worried about the effect of the bite on his ability to have children, though he has been told that this should be unaffected.
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Dangerous dogs
Dogs can track pesticides into the home
source: Kurt Kleiner
New Scientist February 10 2001 p16
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has carried out initial research on whether dogs can track pesticides into the home from lawns recently treated with organophosphates. Researcher, Marsha Morgan, studied one family with a dog, who had used the insecticide diazinon to treat their garden. Samples were taken both from the dog, and from the carpet and air within the home. Pesticide levels in the home sometimes rose to 50 times background levels, and were even higher on the dog, from 55 to 250 times greater than background levels. The research was reported in 'Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology', vol 66.
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Puppies ride free
Bus company allows guide dog puppies to travel free
source: Guardian September 8 2000 p4
A bus company in Dundee, Scotland, has given free travel passes to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, to be used by volunteers who walk the association's puppies. This is the first British bus company to take such a measure.
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