The Animal Welfare Science of Working Dogs: Current Perspectives on Recent Advances and Future Directions

Cobb, Mia; Otto, Cynthia M.; Fine, Aubrey H.

doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.666898

Cited by 35 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 148 publications

(194 reference statements)

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“…Additionally, a stronger bond with one’s pet dog has been associated with a higher standard of care evidenced by a greater number of annual veterinary appointments [ 62 ]. Based on findings in the present study that service dog temperament may predict bond in the veteran-service dog pair, it will be valuable for future research to directly investigate any connection between human-animal bond and welfare in PTSD service dogs specifically [ 63 , 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing veteran and PTSD service dog teams: Exploring potential mechanisms of symptom change and canine predictors of efficacy

et al. 2022

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Psychiatric service dogs are an emerging complementary intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Initial evidence suggests that partnership with a service dog may be related to less PTSD symptom severity. However, it remains unclear how or why this might occur. To address this gap, we conducted a longitudinal investigation of 82 post-9/11 military members or veterans and their PTSD service dogs to (1) evaluate service dog characteristics as potential predictors of efficacy, (2) assess dog and human characteristics as potential predictors of veteran-dog bond, and (3) explore potential mechanisms for mental health outcomes. Aim 1 results demonstrated that most service dog characteristics did not predict veterans’ mental health outcomes, but lower service dog excitability was associated with less PTSD symptom severity at follow-up. Aim 2 results showed that closer dog-veteran relationships were associated with less excitable dog temperament. Aim 3 results indicated that worse mental health at follow-up was associated with greater use of the specifically trained PTSD service dog task to initiate a social greeting (“make a friend”), whereas better mental health was related to less use of dominance-based training methods, lower perceived emotional/logistical costs of service dog partnership, and closer veteran-dog relationships. More frequent use of the trained service dog task to signal when someone approaches from behind (cover/watch back) was associated with greater anxiety, but less PTSD symptom severity. Overall, veterans spent an average of 82% of their time with service dogs (assessed via Bluetooth proximity between dog collar and veteran smartphone), and most frequently asked their service dogs to perform the trained task for calming their anxiety (calm/comfort anxiety). The present study provides subjective and objective metrics of the heterogeneity among veteran-service dog dyads while also suggesting which of the assessed metrics might be potential mechanisms involved in the intervention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing veteran and PTSD service dog teams: Exploring potential mechanisms of symptom change and canine predictors of efficacy

et al. 2022

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“…This might be collected through site audits of animal welfare (for example using the Five Domains methods), or through observations or reports on the animal environment. Designers can build on existing knowledge about how to address animal welfare challenges in sites such as zoos ( 35 ) working dog kennels ( 118 ), farms ( 119 ), and slaughterhouses ( 120 ). When designing for zoos, note that context includes both on-display areas and off-display areas ( 121 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare Through Competence: A Framework for Animal-Centric Technology Design

Webber

Cobb

Coe³

2022

Front. Vet. Sci.

Self Cite

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Digital technologies offer new ways to ensure that animals can lead a good life in managed settings. As interactive enrichment and smart environments appear in zoos, farms, shelters, kennels and vet facilities, it is essential that the design of such technologies be guided by clear, scientifically-grounded understandings of what animals need and want, to be successful in improving their wellbeing. The field of Animal-Computer Interaction proposes that this can be achieved by centering animals as stakeholders in technology design, but there remains a need for robust methods to support interdisciplinary teams in placing animals' interests at the heart of design projects. Responding to this gap, we present the Welfare through Competence framework, which is grounded in contemporary animal welfare science, established technology design practices and applied expertise in animal-centered design. The framework brings together the “Five Domains of Animal Welfare” model and the “Coe Individual Competence” model, and provides a structured approach to defining animal-centric objectives and refining them through the course of a design project. In this paper, we demonstrate how design teams can use this framework to promote positive animal welfare in a range of managed settings. These much-needed methodological advances contribute a new theoretical foundation to debates around the possibility of animal-centered design, and offer a practical agenda for creating technologies that support a good life for animals.

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“…It is important to consider the welfare of working dogs, such as therapy and assistance dogs, that are involved in numerous settings around the world (Cobb, Otto & Fine, 2021).…”

Section: Risksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Children and Dogs Best Friends? A Scoping Review to Explore the Positive and Negative Effects of Child-Dog Interactions

Giraudet¹,

Liu²,

McElligott³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Our wellbeing is greatly influenced by our childhood and adolescence, and the relationships that we form during those phases of our development. The human-dog bond started thousands of years ago. The higher prevalence of dog ownership around the world, especially in households including children along with the growing number of people studying dogs most likely explain the growing literature focusing on child-dog interactions. We review the potential effects of child-dog interactions on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of both species. A scoping search of the SCOPUS database found several hundred documents meeting selection criteria. It allowed us to define the numerous ways in which children and dogs can interact, be it neutral (e.g., sharing a common area), positive (e.g., petting), or negative (e.g., biting). Then, we found evidence for an association between interacting with dogs during childhood and an array of health and mental benefits like stress relief and the development of empathy. Walking a dog and playing with one are perfect physical activity opportunities. Additionally, interacting with a dog can help lower stress and may have a role in the development of empathy. Nonetheless, a number of detrimental outcomes have also been identified in both humans and dogs. Children are the most at-risk population regarding dog bites and dog-borne zoonoses, which may lead to a subsequent fear of dogs or even death. Moreover, pet bereavement is generally inevitable when living with a canine companion and should not be trivialized. In terms of dogs, children sometimes take part in caretaking behaviors toward them which include going on walks. They are opportunities for dogs to relieve themselves outside, but also to exercise and socialize. In contrast, a lack of physical activity can lead to the onset of obesity. Dogs may present greater levels of stress when in the presence of children. Finally, the welfare of assistance, therapy, and free-roaming dogs remains underexplored. Overall, the study of the effects, positive as well as negative, on both species still requires further development. We call for more longitudinal studies and hope for cross-cultural research in the future in order to better understand the impact child-dog interactions might have.

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The Animal Welfare Science of Working Dogs: Current Perspectives on Recent Advances and Future Directions

Cited by 35 publications

References 148 publications

Characterizing veteran and PTSD service dog teams: Exploring potential mechanisms of symptom change and canine predictors of efficacy

Characterizing veteran and PTSD service dog teams: Exploring potential mechanisms of symptom change and canine predictors of efficacy

Welfare Through Competence: A Framework for Animal-Centric Technology Design

Are Children and Dogs Best Friends? A Scoping Review to Explore the Positive and Negative Effects of Child-Dog Interactions

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