Introduction The 100,000 year-old human-dog partnership can be sorely tested by canine behavioural problems, which may cause dogs to be relinquished to shelters (1,2). This study scrutinized the prevalence of owner-reported potentially problematic behaviours, the owner’s attitude towards them and their potential modification. The aim was to explore dog owner’s perceptions about behavioural problems and to look at their actual willingness to work through the problem. Methodology Owners over 18 years old, directly involved in the pet's care and whose dogs were at least 1 year old were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire. They were first asked generic questions on their dog’s behaviour, and then whether or not their dogs exhibited 15 behaviors commonly considered to be problematic (3). Data were analysed using non-parametric statistics (SPSS). Main results 1,365 owners completed the survey, 409 of whom (30%) thought their dog had misbehaviours they wished to change. Of these 409 respondents, 77% and 62% indicated attention-seeking behaviour and dog aggression respectively when asked to evaluate the 15 behaviours (p<0.05). Only 34% of respondents indicated dog aggression as the behaviour they would modify, and only 2% of owners mentioned attention-seeking. Among all owners who wished to correct their dog’s behaviours, 90% were aware of the existence of veterinary behaviorists. A greater proportion considered surgical sterilization as a possible option (83%, p<0.05), compared with 42% who would attend behavioural education courses and 36% who would use drugs to correct the behaviour. Only 5% would give the dog away. In summary, perception of dogs’ behaviours varied significantly depending on whether owners were asked to spontaneously consider it or whether they were first guided by informative descriptions. These findings might suggest a certain inconsistency in owner interpretation of their dog’s behaviours (4, 5). Owners were willing to solve the problem, and were open in varying degrees to the range of alternative options proposed in the survey.

Owner-reported potentially problematic behaviours and owner-interest in professional help / L. Pierantoni, M. Albertini, S.M. Mazzola, F. Pirrone - In: Proceedings of the 9th International Veterinary Behaviour Meeting / [a cura di] D.S. Mills, G. Da Graca Pereira, D.M. Jacinto. - [s.l] : PsiAnimal, 2013. - ISBN 978-989-20-4071-4. - pp. 129-130 (( Intervento presentato al 9. convegno International Veterinary Behaviour Meeting tenutosi a Lisboa nel 2013.

Owner-reported potentially problematic behaviours and owner-interest in professional help

M. Albertini
Secondo
;
S.M. Mazzola
Penultimo
;
F. Pirrone
Ultimo
2013

Abstract

Introduction The 100,000 year-old human-dog partnership can be sorely tested by canine behavioural problems, which may cause dogs to be relinquished to shelters (1,2). This study scrutinized the prevalence of owner-reported potentially problematic behaviours, the owner’s attitude towards them and their potential modification. The aim was to explore dog owner’s perceptions about behavioural problems and to look at their actual willingness to work through the problem. Methodology Owners over 18 years old, directly involved in the pet's care and whose dogs were at least 1 year old were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire. They were first asked generic questions on their dog’s behaviour, and then whether or not their dogs exhibited 15 behaviors commonly considered to be problematic (3). Data were analysed using non-parametric statistics (SPSS). Main results 1,365 owners completed the survey, 409 of whom (30%) thought their dog had misbehaviours they wished to change. Of these 409 respondents, 77% and 62% indicated attention-seeking behaviour and dog aggression respectively when asked to evaluate the 15 behaviours (p<0.05). Only 34% of respondents indicated dog aggression as the behaviour they would modify, and only 2% of owners mentioned attention-seeking. Among all owners who wished to correct their dog’s behaviours, 90% were aware of the existence of veterinary behaviorists. A greater proportion considered surgical sterilization as a possible option (83%, p<0.05), compared with 42% who would attend behavioural education courses and 36% who would use drugs to correct the behaviour. Only 5% would give the dog away. In summary, perception of dogs’ behaviours varied significantly depending on whether owners were asked to spontaneously consider it or whether they were first guided by informative descriptions. These findings might suggest a certain inconsistency in owner interpretation of their dog’s behaviours (4, 5). Owners were willing to solve the problem, and were open in varying degrees to the range of alternative options proposed in the survey.
Dogs ; behaviour
Settore VET/02 - Fisiologia Veterinaria
2013
ESVCE
Europena Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology
PSIanimal
Associação Portuguesa de Terapia do Comportamento e Bem-Estar Animal
Book Part (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/227009
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