Domestic cats use visual cues to communicate with conspecifics and humans. This includes the position and movement of the tail. The tail up signal (i.e. tail held vertically with the tip curled) has been identified as a friendly greeting signal between cats and from cats to humans. We present here a report of two cats unable to display the classic tail up signal due to Spitz-like (curled) tail characteristics, a morphology not previously reported in the scientific literature. The cats, a British Shorthair (Mn, 2 y) and Domestic Longhair (Fn, 8.5 y), belonged to different households and were participants in a study of intraspecific social interactions. Video recordings show the cats displaying normal tail movements (waving, swishing, twitching) and position when the tail was hanging down. However, once the tail was raised to a vertical position, it immediately curled over the back. This Spitz-like tail posture was displayed both when greeting people and other cats. It had reportedly been present since adoption. There was no underlying medical history of injury or pain to indicate this was an acquired state. We suggest this Spitz-like tail is a spontaneously occurring anomaly, that does not seem to noticeably impair the cats' communicative abilities, as normal affiliative behaviours were observed during interactions with the cohoused cat. We discuss the significance of this finding in relation to the formation of social bonds and the signalling of affiliative intent.

Citizen science, which involves engaging the general public in research tasks, is increasingly used in animal behaviour studies. In this review we conducted a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to evaluate two methodologies of data collection using citizen science in order to study cat-cat interactions: online survey responses and caregiver-recorded home videos analysed by researcher(s). Using the SWOT-analysis on both methodologies, we listed intrinsic aspects that facilitate (Strengths) or interfere with (Weaknesses) reaching scientific goals, as well as the features that the methodology may be able to capitalise on (Opportunities) or which limit its value (Threats). A major strength of online surveys is the possibility to access caregivers' specific knowledge of their cats, while sampling bias often is a potential weakness. Opportunities of surveys are the methodology ' s flexibility and data collection efficiency, but at the same time suffering from threats related to biases associated with caregiver interpretation of their pet's behaviour. Strengths of caregiver-recorded videos capturing cats' behaviour include that they allow expert behavioural observations and scoring in a systematic manner (e.g. using an ethogram) and thus yielding quantitative data (whose reliability can be tested between and within observers). Furthermore, given the ubiquity of smartphones, filming cats is not a burden for most caregivers, and the collected recordings can potentially contain high-quality data that may otherwise be inaccessible, or subject to bias if a researcher had been present in the home environment. Though, caregivers' influence on and lack of standardisation of the recordings are weaknesses which possibly influence the quality of the collected data. Opportunities include public engagement with science, while possible Threats may be related to privacy of the caregivers participating. In this review we consider in more detail each of the four SWOT components related to each methodology in order to optimise cat behaviour research in the future. The authors suggest strategies for future studies using the research methodologies discussed in this review and give specific recommendations when using caregiver-recorded videos in behavioural studies. Additionally, smart combinations of both online surveys with home videos recorded by caregivers might overcome some limitations of the individual methodologies, and would thus be a potentially stronger approach.

Domestic cats are increasingly popular as companion animals, but behavioural problems are often reported, especially in multicat households. Social tension is a common stressor, so understanding intercat interactions and their dynamics is crucial. Nevertheless, direct research in the home setting is rare. As caregivers witness their cats’ behaviour on a daily basis, they are a potentially important source of information, but might be unreliable and subject to bias. This study examined the reliability of caregiver reporting by comparing survey answers with behaviours observed in home videos collected after the survey was completed. The occurrence of five cat-cat interactions (head rubbing, allogrooming, sleeping in physical contact with each other, tail up greetings and social play) was examined in 42 two-cat households using 210 survey answers and 775 videos. The percentage of false negative survey responses for behaviours observed in the videos was conservatively estimated (cFN) at 8%, with 22.9% of the negative answers being falsely negative (FOR – False Omission Rate) and 77.1% truly negative (NPV – Negative Predictive Value). Broad false negatives (bFN), which included uncertain responses as negative reports, were 9.5% of the survey responses with a FOR of 75% and NPV of 25% in this context. Highest values were obtained for head rubbing (cFN: 10.5%, bFN: 14.3%) and allogrooming (cFN: 9.8%; bFN: 11.9%). When focusing on individual cat caregivers, 14 out of 42 caregivers (33.3%) failed to reliably report the occurrence of at least one of the surveyed cat-cat interactions. For interactions that were seen on camera, 23.8% of caregivers (10/42) responded that their cats did not show these interactions and 9.5% (4/42) reported uncertainty about whether it ever occurred. These results should be considered a lower estimate of the magnitude of errors (false negatives) in caregiver reports, and their implications need to be considered in both research that depends on caregiver report, and clinical assessments within behavioural medicine. Many cat-cat interactions, and in particular head rubbing and allogrooming, will be underreported when relying exclusively on caregiver reporting.

Dysfunctional behavior has been observed in working dogs and is known to impair their quality of work and quality of life. However, the relationship between behavioral consequences and disaster deployment in search -and-rescue (SAR) dogs is a matter that remains under investigated, and solid evidence in the literature inves-tigating behavioral alterations related to disaster deployment is lacking. Therefore, this systematic literature review was performed to comprehensively analyze the possible evidence of behavioral deviations in working dogs linked to physical or psychological trauma that may have been sustained during disaster response opera-tions. A search of the PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted and finalized on February 1, 2023, resulting in the selection of 11 studies for review. In order to obtain a comprehensive overview of SAR dog welfare, both behavioral and physical effects during and after deployment were considered. The results showed that physical health consequences, such as wounds and gastrointestinal signs, were prevalent but mild. Addi-tionally, although little systematic research has been done on behavioral consequences, some studies have re-ported changes in behavior during and after deployment, including fatigue and attitude changes. These results emphasize the importance of further behavioral research to thoroughly investigate canine emotional welfare post-disaster deployment to ensure optimal productivity and welfare of these working dogs.

The success of the dog as a companion animal has undeniably led to a shift in dog breeding practices. While effects of inbreeding or large-scale breeding have given rise to numerous studies about potentially related health issues, it remains unclear to what extent behavioural development of dogs is influenced. By investigating the environment of puppies while at the breeder, the authors aimed to make an inventory of current practices regarding management, socialisation and environmental learning and subsequently to identify potential differences between breeder types. The cross-sectional study, conducted during 2016, revealed considerable variability in environment among dog breeders. Small-scale breeders, and especially occasional breeders (less than 10 adult dogs on-site) provided most enrichment, both social and non-social, by, for instance, providing more outdoor access for pregnant dams and puppies or by providing access to visitors more freely. Environmental stimuli were less controlled in occasional breeders, raising the debate about quantity versus quality of stimuli at a young age. Large-scale breeders declared to screen potential owners less intensely and time to advise them was limited. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that compares a large number of environmental factors between the different dog breeding categories.

Thyroid hormone supplementation anecdotally has been described as a valid treatment option for dogs with aggression-related problems. However, prospective, controlled, and blinded trials evaluating behavior and neurohormonal status in hypothyroid dogs during treatment with levothyroxine are lacking. Levothyroxine supplementation will have a significant influence on the behavior and neurohormonal status of dogs with spontaneous hypothyroidism. Twenty client-owned dogs diagnosed with spontaneous hypothyroidism. This prospective study was to evaluate the behavior of dogs, which was screened at initial presentation, and after 6 weeks, and 6 months of treatment with levothyroxine (starting dosage 10 μg/kg PO q12h) using the standardized Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire ( C-BARQ). At each time period, circulating serotonin and prolactin (PRL) concentrations were evaluated using a commercially validated ELISA kit and heterologous radioimmunoassay, respectively. After 6 weeks of thyroid hormone supplementation, C-BARQ scores demonstrated a significant increase in activity of hypothyroid dogs ( P < .01). No significant change in any of the behavioral signs was observed after 6 months of treatment. No significant difference in circulating concentrations of serotonin ( P > .99 and P = .46) and PRL ( P = .99 and P = .37) were noted between the 6-week and 6-month periods compared with baseline. The results of this study indicate increased activity of hypothyroid dogs after 6 weeks of thyroid hormone supplementation. None of the hypothyroid dogs in this cohort showed a significant change in any of the evaluated behavioral signs and neurohormonal status after 6 months of thyroid hormone supplementation.

Safe human-dog relationships require understanding of dogs' signaling. As children are at particularly high risk of dog bites, we investigated longitudinally how children from 3 to 5 years and parents perceive and interpret dogs' distress signaling gestures. All participants were then taught how to link their perception of the dog with the correct interpretation of dogs' behavioral signals and tested again. Results show a significant increase in learning for children and adults, with them showing greater understanding of dogs' signaling after intervention. Better learning effects were found with increasing age and depended on the type of distress signaling of the dogs. Effects endured over time and it can be concluded that children and adults can be taught to interpret dogs' distress signaling more correctly. Awareness and recognition of dogs' stress signaling can be seen as an important first step in understanding the dog's perspective and are vital to enable safe interactions.

To investigate the current management and biosecurity practices and identify possible differences between different types of breeders, a cross-sectional study was carried out in 102 Belgian dog breeding facilities ranging from small (less than 10 dams on site) to large-scale (more than 50 dams on site or at least 500 puppies sold yearly) breeders. Veterinary prophylactic protocols (ie, vaccination, endoparasite control, ectoparasitic treatments) were highly implemented (91.5 per cent, 92.6 per cent, 42.7 per cent, respectively) across all breeder categories. 13.8 per cent of all visited breeders reported to administer antimicrobials to each female post partum and 10.3 per cent reported to treat all puppies, or at least of one breed, systematically with antimicrobials. Large-scale breeders reported to employ staff more frequently (p<0.01), and appeared to be more familiar with the principles of biosecurity. They reported to apply disinfection (p<0.01) and hygienic measures (p=0.03) across all parts of the facility, and to quarantine newly acquired dogs (p<0.01) more often compared with small-scale breeders. Nonetheless, a moderate knowledge of and use of disinfection was recorded, as was the presence of pet dogs, breaking the compartmentalisation. Results of this study indicate that there is substantial room for improvement in hygiene and disease management across all categories of breeders. The characterisation of different types of dog breeders with respect to biosecurity and management practices is a first step towards improvement of dog husbandry and biosecurity measures. Tailored guidelines should permit breeders to further improve the health of breeding animals and puppies while reducing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and associated expenses.

Background Thyroid hormone supplementation anecdotally has been described as a valid treatment option for dogs with aggression‐related problems. However, prospective, controlled, and blinded trials evaluating behavior and neurohormonal status in hypothyroid dogs during treatment with levothyroxine are lacking. Objective Levothyroxine supplementation will have a significant influence on the behavior and neurohormonal status of dogs with spontaneous hypothyroidism. Animals Twenty client‐owned dogs diagnosed with spontaneous hypothyroidism. Methods This prospective study was to evaluate the behavior of dogs, which was screened at initial presentation, and after 6 weeks, and 6 months of treatment with levothyroxine (starting dosage 10 μg/kg PO q12h) using the standardized Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C‐BARQ). At each time period, circulating serotonin and prolactin (PRL) concentrations were evaluated using a commercially validated ELISA kit and heterologous radioimmunoassay, respectively. Results After 6 weeks of thyroid hormone supplementation, C‐BARQ scores demonstrated a significant increase in activity of hypothyroid dogs (P < .01). No significant change in any of the behavioral signs was observed after 6 months of treatment. No significant difference in circulating concentrations of serotonin (P > .99 and P = .46) and PRL (P = .99 and P = .37) were noted between the 6‐week and 6‐month periods compared with baseline. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The results of this study indicate increased activity of hypothyroid dogs after 6 weeks of thyroid hormone supplementation. None of the hypothyroid dogs in this cohort showed a significant change in any of the evaluated behavioral signs and neurohormonal status after 6 months of thyroid hormone supplementation.

Veterinary RecordVolume 181, Issue 2 p. 42-43 Research Human-directed aggression: are we barking up the wrong tree? Tiny De Keuster DVM, Dip ECAWBM, Corresponding Author Tiny De Keuster DVM, Dip ECAWBM tiny.dekeuster@ugent.bes Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke,, BelgiumE-mail for correspondence: tiny.dekeuster@ugent.besSearch for more papers by this author Tiny De Keuster DVM, Dip ECAWBM, Corresponding Author Tiny De Keuster DVM, Dip ECAWBM tiny.dekeuster@ugent.bes Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke,, BelgiumE-mail for correspondence: tiny.dekeuster@ugent.besSearch for more papers by this author First published: 07 July 2017 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.j1371Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume181, Issue2July 2017Pages 42-43 RelatedInformation

Veterinary RecordVolume 178, Issue 15 p. 365-366 Research When man's best friend attacks: how to progress on dog bites Tiny De Keuster DVM, DipECAWBM, Corresponding Author Tiny De Keuster DVM, DipECAWBM tiny.dekeuster@ugent.be Specialist Behavioural Medicine Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, 9820 BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author Tiny De Keuster DVM, DipECAWBM, Corresponding Author Tiny De Keuster DVM, DipECAWBM tiny.dekeuster@ugent.be Specialist Behavioural Medicine Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, 9820 BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author First published: 09 April 2016 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.i1942Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume178, Issue15April 2016Pages 365-366 RelatedInformation

With bite figures from interview data as high as 47 % (Beck & Jones, 1985; Spiegel, 2000), and National Health Service statistics in the UK showing a 40 % increase in dog bite figures in 2008 and even higher increases, at times of over 100 % in more recent years (NHS, 2008; 2012), we are addressing a serious and wide-spread – but largely avoidable – problem. When trying to enable safe interaction between children and dogs, it is vital that children are able to interpret the animal’s signalling correctly to avoid injury and distress. However, it has been shown that children and adults often do not understand dogs’ body signalling (Reisner & Shofer 2008). Without tuition, children look mainly at the dog’s face. In addition, children often confuse a fearful or angry dog with a friendly one (Meints, Racca & Hickey, 2010). This study investigated cross-sectionally and longitudinally how 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children interpret dogs’ stress signaling (N = 43, 34 and 36 respectively). We tested at Time 1 (before and after training intervention), Time 2 (after 6 months) and Time 3 (after 1 year) by showing dog videos according to the escalation steps of appeasement signalling (Shepherd, 2002). Videos had been assessed independently by four experienced dog behaviour experts and were then grouped into four categories (high, medium, low distress and “happy”). We investigated children’s evaluations of dogs by using a 5-point scale with faces ranging from happy (1) via neutral to unhappy (5). We recorded their looking behaviour using a Tobii Eye-tracker. Parents (N = 33) also took part in separate sessions and underwent the same procedure. We collected questionnaire data, e.g. on dog ownership, SES, demographics, bite incidents. First results on correct answers (pre and post) show a main effect of Age – knowledge improves significantly with age (F(3,122) = 15.05; p < .0001). We also observed a highly significant main effect of Learning (F(3,122) = 56.61; p < .0001) with risk judgements improving from pre-training at time 1 to test at time 1 and 2. Most significant improvements in learning take place in 5 yearolds and adults (F(3,122) = 6.80; p < .0003). We also found a main effect of Distress Judgement (F(3,366) = 243.90; p < .0001) – participants show some, but not full awareness of risk and least distress recognition was shown by 3-year-olds. There were no main effects for Gender or Dog Ownership. The error analysis shows that errors are made in all distress categories (high, medium, low). The lower the distress category, the more errors we find. The younger the participants, the more errors occur and the more serious the errors are – again, we find significant misinterpretation errors of highly distressed dogs as “happy” – these errors occur before training to 50–65 % in 3–5-yearolds and 17 % in adults and are reduced after training to 17–28 % in 4–5-year-old children with reduction to no errors in adults. We conclude that successful teaching of dog signalling is possible. Especially children from 4 years onwards profit from the intervention and show significant improvements in knowledge straight after the intervention and also over time. Increased awareness and knowledge can lead to safer behaviour with dogs, risk reduction and potentially less bite incidents while dogs profit as they are treated more appropriately.

The majority of dog bite accidents happen at home and involve children under the age of 7 (Kahn et al. 2003) and a familiar dog. The prevalence of bites that lead to hospital treatment in children is double as in the general population (Kahn et al. 2004) and often children suffer from dog bites resulting in facial injuries (Bernardo et al 2002, Kahn et al.2003; Schalamon et al 2006 ). Fifty-five percent of children suffer post-traumatic stress disorder following a substantial bite (Peters et al. 2004). According to research these bites are independent of the size of the dog (Kahn et al 2003), but more related to the age of the child – however, it is unclear why young children get bitten mainly in the face and neck area. As in the majority of cases (86 %, Kahn et al., 2003) children’s behaviour triggers bite injuries, we studied if young children’s tendency to lean in on objects of interest could be a contributing cause of facial bites. As young children’s tendency to lean in has only been anecdotally observed so far, we investigated if this leaning-in behaviour exists and under which conditions we can trigger such behaviour. More specifically and in relation to the risk of dog bites, we studied the role of smell, mobility, novelty and height of the object (e.g. positioned at floor, chair, table-level) on children’s facial proximity and leaning-in behaviour. We used objects and toy animals as stimuli as well as carrying out a first exploration with small animals. We video-recorded all trials and used a custom-made grid to code for physical proximity and leaning in behaviours. A total of 24 2-year-olds (7 females and 17 males), 24 3-year-olds (16 females and 8 males), 24 4-year-olds (15 females and 9 males), 24 5-year-olds (12 females and 12 males) and 24 6-year-olds (13 females and 11 males) participated in the study. Children showed highly significant effects of intrusive facial proximity especially with moving items (e.g. animates/toy animals) or novel items ((F(2, 220) = 42.12, p < .0001; F(1, 110) = 13.17, p < .0001). A highly significant main effect for age was found (F(4, 115) = 6.43; p < .001). Children of 2 and 3 years showed significantly more proximity behaviours than 4-, 5- and 6-year-old children. In addition, we also gathered first evidence that children show clear leaning-in behaviour with small animals. Thus, we can raise parental awareness of younger children’s intrusive inspection behaviour, integrate this knowledge in prevention messages and contribute to reduction in bite injuries, especially to children’s faces.

Dogs have been trained by humans for centuries as working dogs and hunters , and techniques such as “whipping-in” were accepted by society as being necessary and useful and equally popular in disciplining humans. In 1910 Konrad Most a German Kolonel in charge of training police dogs wrote “Training dogs, a manual” . Even though this book demonstrated the understanding of learning principles , before there were formally outlined by scientist, it also promoted numerous aversive training techniques. Despite abundant research proving the benefit of training methods respecting animal welfare, the use of aversive methods as a “gold standard” to change behaviour remains very popular. Hence the need to reflect on contemporary dog training methods : what are they based on – what complicates training and how to deal with the constraints , in order to contribute to dog (and human) welfare.