Dogs Canis familiaris as carnivores: their role and function in intraguild competition

• 1 Dogs Canis familiaris are the world's most common carnivore and are known to interact with wildlife as predators, prey, competitors, and disease reservoirs or vectors.
• 2 Despite these varied roles in the community, the interaction of dogs with sympatric wild carnivore species is poorly understood. We review how dogs have been classified in the literature, and illustrate how the location and ranging behaviour of dogs are important factors in predicting their interactions with wild prey and carnivores.
• 3 We detail evidence of dogs as intraguild competitors with sympatric carnivores in the context of exploitative, interference and apparent competition.
• 4 Dogs can have localized impacts on prey populations, but in general they are not exploitative competitors with carnivores. Rather, most dog populations are highly dependent on human‐derived food and gain a relatively small proportion of their diet from wild prey. However, because of human‐derived food subsidies, dogs can occur at high population densities and thus could potentially outcompete native carnivores, especially when prey is limited.
• 5 Dogs can be effective interference competitors, especially with medium‐sized and small carnivores. Dogs may fill the role of an interactive medium‐sized canid within the carnivore community, especially in areas where the native large carnivore community is depauperate.
• 6 Dogs can also be reservoirs of pathogens, because most populations around the world are free‐ranging and unvaccinated. Diseases such as rabies and canine distemper have resulted in severe population declines in several endangered carnivores coexisting with high‐density dog populations. Dogs can therefore be viewed as pathogen‐mediated apparent competitors, capable of facilitating large‐scale population declines in carnivores.
• 7 Based on this information, we propose conceptual models that use dog population size and ranging patterns to predict the potential for dogs to be intraguild competitors. We discuss how interactions between dogs and carnivores might influence native carnivore communities.

     

Domestic Dogs as Facilitators in Social Interaction: An Evaluation of Helping and Courtship Behaviors

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have suggested that dogs facilitate social interaction between humans. Furthermore, the nature of social interaction is limited to nonverbal behavior such as smiling or gazing or to commonplace conversations. Four studies were carried out in field settings in order to explore if dogs can facilitate closer relationships. In the first experiment, a male confederate (accompanied or not by a dog) solicited people for money in the street. The second experiment was the same except that a female confederate was used. In a third experiment, a male confederate (with or without a dog) accidentally dropped some coins on the ground, to see if people would help him pick them up. In the fourth experiment, a male confederate (with or without a dog) solicited young women in the street for their phone numbers. Results show that the presence of the dog was associated with a higher rate of helping behavior (experiments 1, 2, 3) and higher compliance with the request of the confederate (experiment 4). The influence of a domestic dog as a facilitator to create affiliation and relations in social interaction is discussed.     

Walking Sole Mates: Dogs Motivating,Enabling and Supporting Guardians' Physical Activity

ABSTRACT

Dog walking is receiving increasing attention in the public health literature as a strategy to improve dog guardians' physical activity levels. Quantitative research suggests that dog guardians walk more often and for longer than non dog-guardians, and offers suggestions as to the reasons for these differences. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore dog guardians' walking practices and relationships with their dogs, to better understand how and why dog walking might become an intervention point to enhance physical activity levels. Five focus groups and two interviews were conducted with 16 adult dog guardians. Following an initial analysis of the results, 10 additional dog guardians were individually interviewed to review and confirm the findings. Four themes emerged to explain the dog-walking phenomenon: Transcending the human–animal distinction; Dogs as walking sole mates; Activity/health benefits; and Dogs as social conduits. We argue that an empathetic stance benefits dog guardians because, as valued family members whose health and happiness they are responsible for, their canine companions serve to motivate, enable, and sustain walking behaviors.     

Nationalism as meaningful life projects: identity construction among politically active Tamil families in Norway

Abstract

For many years Northern Ireland has been a divided society where members of the two main religious groups, Catholics and Protestants, have limited opportunities to interact due to segregation in their social lives. Attempts have been made to encourage religious mixing through integration in schools, housing, and workplaces predicated on the theory that bringing people together can improve community relations and remove prejudices – known as the ‘contact hypothesis’. However, little is known about those who enter into mixed-religion partnerships often against the wishes of their families and communities. This paper examines the characteristics and attitudes of mixed-religion couples and suggests that they differ in their socio-demographic characteristics and in their attitudes from those who marry within their own religion. These findings add to the weight of evidence from other countries in conflict suggesting that intermarriage has a role to play in contributing to less sectarian views and improved community relations.     

The epidemiology of dog bite injuries in Switzerland – characteristics of victims,biting dogs and circumstances

Abstract

Dogs are a potential source of several health hazards for humans. Public attention has recently focussed on dog bites, and different prevention strategies have been suggested. As few data on dog bite epidemiology are available, a prospective study was conducted in family practices (FP) and emergency departments (ED) in Switzerland. The objectives of this study were to estimate the incidence of dog bites receiving medical treatment and to identify possible risk factors. An annual dog bite incidence rate of 180/100 000 population was estimated. The highest incidence rates were found in children, young adults and dog owners. While head and neck injuries were most common (37% of FP and 45% of ED cases) amongst children and these tended to have more severe sequelae, adults' injuries most commonly involved the extremities. Victim–dog interactions prior to the incident often were observed in children, particularly in infants (82% of 0–4-year-old cases) and in family dog bites (88%). Biting dogs were most commonly medium or large in size, male, and aged < 5 years. The three most popular breeds (Shepherd, Retriever Dogs and Swiss Mountain Breeds) also were the three most common biters. However, Shepherd dogs and Rottweilers were more common among biting dogs. No difference in bite risk was found between pure-bred and cross-bred dogs. Results of this study suggest that dog bites are a common event in the community. A multifactorial approach to dog bite prevention is recommended.     

Preliminary observations of the role of dogs in household security in New Providence,The Bahamas

Abstract

In New Providence, The Bahamas, dogs are commonly kept outside and allowed to roam. It is generally understood that this style of maintaining dogs is responsible for the island's dog overpopulation. Given this overpopulation of dogs, and that many people have dogs for security, it is important to assess if dogs do provide the protection their owners think they offer. In this study, 229 college students were surveyed about household security measures, the presence of dogs and if their home had ever been broken into (either during the day or night). Overall, 33% of homes had been broken into and the presence of dogs in the home was not associated with a decreased chance of a break-in. Seventy-four percent of dogowning households had at least one dog specifically for protection. Local mongrels—potcakes—were apparently less effective than dogs of a recognizable breed in deterring criminals; however, purebred dogs were less likely to roam than potcakes and this may have enhanced their ability to be protective. The implications of these findings on dog ownership in New Providence are discussed, the most important being that unconfined dogs provide little real protection.     

Global Positioning System Derived Performance Measures Are Responsive Indicators of Physical Activity,Disease and the Success of Clinical Treatments in Domestic Dogs

ObjectiveTo assess the use of Global Positioning System receiver (GPS) derived performance measures for differentiating between: 1) different outdoor activities in healthy dogs; 2) healthy dogs and those with osteoarthritis; 3) osteoarthritic dogs before and after treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesia.DesignProspective study.AnimalsTen healthy dogs and seven dogs with osteoarthritis of the elbow joint (OA dogs).ProcedureHealthy dogs were walked on a standard route on-lead, off-lead and subjected to playing activity (chasing a ball) whilst wearing a GPS collar. Each dog was walked for five consecutive days. Dogs with OA were subjected to a single off-lead walk whilst wearing a GPS collar, and then administered oral Carprofen analgesia daily for two weeks. OA dogs were then subjected to the same walk, again wearing a GPS collar.ResultsGPS derived measures of physical performance could differentiate between on-lead activity, off-lead activity and playing activity in healthy dogs, and between healthy dogs and OA dogs. Variation in the performance measures analysed was greater between individual dogs than for individual dogs on different days. Performance measures could differentiate healthy dogs from OA dogs. OA Dogs treated with Carprofen analgesia showed improvements in their physical performance, which returned to values indistinguishable from those of healthy dogs on nearly all the measures assessed.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

GPS derived measures of physical performance in dogs are objective, easy to quantify, and can be used to gauge the effects of disease and success of clinical treatments. Specific stimuli can be used to modulate physical performance beyond the self-governed boundaries that dogs will naturally express when allowed to exercise freely without stimulation.     

Labradors to Persians: Perceptions of pets in the workplace

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study examining the effects of the presence of pets in an office on people's perceptions of the work environment, the company, and the people who work there. Participants were 482 college students from a medium-sized university in the Southeast who were randomly assigned to view a slide of an office that contained one of six breeds of dogs, one of four breeds of cats, or no animal at all, and then completed a survey. Results indicated that pets are perceived to improve the moods of both customers and employees, to increase social interaction, and to make the employees appear less busy. However, they do make an office appear less professional and less clean and safe. There were few differences in perceptions based upon the various breeds of cats and dogs, with the exception of shorthaired black cats, which were generally rated less favorably.     

Intranasal oxytocin and a polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene are associated with human-directed social behavior in golden retriever dogs

The oxytocin system may play an important role in dog domestication from the wolf. Dogs have evolved unique human analogue social skills enabling them to communicate and cooperate efficiently with people. Genomic differences in the region surrounding the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene have previously been associated with variation in dogs' communicative skills. Here we have utilized the unsolvable problem paradigm to investigate the effects of oxytocin and OXTR polymorphisms on human-directed contact seeking behavior in 60 golden retriever dogs. Human-oriented behavior was quantified employing a previously defined unsolvable problem paradigm. Behaviors were tested twice in a repeated, counterbalanced design, where dogs received a nasal dose of either oxytocin or saline 45 min before each test occasion. Buccal DNA was analysed for genotype on three previously identified SNP-markers associated with OXTR. The same polymorphisms were also genotyped in 21 wolf blood samples to explore potential genomic differences between the species. Results showed that oxytocin treatment decreased physical contact seeking with the experimenter and one of the three polymorphisms was associated with degree of physical contact seeking with the owner. Dogs with the AA-genotype at this locus increased owner physical contact seeking in response to oxytocin while the opposite effect was found in GG-genotype individuals. Hence, intranasal oxytocin treatment, an OXTR polymorphism and their interaction are associated with dogs' human-directed social skills, which can explain previously described breed differences in oxytocin response. Genotypic variation at the studied locus was also found in wolves indicating that it was present even at the start of dog domestication.     

Cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in dogs and cats: Veterinary and public health importance

Dogs and cats are the only domestic animals that still routinely reside in the same domicile as their owners around the world, and hence the interest in their role as reservoirs of potentially zoonotic agents. In the case of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, current data suggests that dogs and cats do not routinely share their infections with healthy people. Dogs are hosts of Cryptosporidiumcanis and Giardiaduodenalis Assemblages C and D. Cats are hosts to Cryptosporidiumfelis and G. duodenalis Assemblage F. Dogs and cats (and other animals) are sometimes infected with sub-Assemblage AI, an Assemblage also found in people, but people usually have sub-Assemblage AII. Unfortunately, severely immunocompromised individuals and malnourished children can be made ill by infections with C. canis and C. felis. People should practice good sanitation and hygiene to minimize environmental contamination and contact with the infectious (oo)cysts that may be shed by their pets.     

“Nudging Them Back to Reality”: Toward a Growing Public Acceptance of the Role Dogs Fulfill in Ameliorating Contemporary Veterans' PTSD Symptoms

ABSTRACT

There is a long history of service dog usage to assist people with physical disabilities (e. g., dogs for the blind, deaf, and disabled). In comparison, however, relatively little empirical research has been conducted into the use of service or emotional support dogs for people with psychiatric disabilities (e. g., PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia). Given this research shortfall, the present study sought to provide insights into the post-war dog ownership experiences of contemporary veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan fields of engagement, particularly in relation to the differences adopted dogs have made to the veterans' readjustment back into society. In this regard, reporters' media accounts of the experiences of veterans with PTSD and the general public's social media response comments were subjected to a triangulated three-phase content analysis to explore the role dogs seemingly play in helping contemporary veterans to readjust to civilian life. The core theme to emerge from the study was one of: “‘Nudging them back to reality’: Toward a growing public acceptance of the role dogs fulfill in ameliorating contemporary veterans' PTSD symptoms.” In light of the difficulties of interpreting the accounts of veterans through the filter of media coverage and social commentary, this core finding may prove to provide insights into how contemporary veterans diagnosed with PTSD utilize the assistance of dogs to help deal with their fundamental human needs for safety, affiliation, and succourance. Finally, the difficulties associated with dogs as therapeutic agents are discussed.     

Leishmania infantum xenodiagnosis from vertically infected dogs reveals significant skin tropism

BackgroundDogs are the primary reservoir for human visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum. Phlebotomine sand flies maintain zoonotic transmission of parasites between dogs and humans. A subset of dogs is infected transplacentally during gestation, but at what stage of the clinical spectrum vertically infected dogs contribute to the infected sand fly pool is unknown.Methodology/Principal findingsWe examined infectiousness of dogs vertically infected with L. infantum from multiple clinical states to the vector Lutzomyia longipalpis using xenodiagnosis and found that vertically infected dogs were infectious to sand flies at differing rates. Dogs with mild to moderate disease showed significantly higher transmission to the vector than dogs with subclinical or severe disease. We documented a substantial parasite burden in the skin of vertically infected dogs by RT-qPCR, despite these dogs not having received intradermal parasites via sand flies. There was a highly significant correlation between skin parasite burden at the feeding site and sand fly parasite uptake. This suggests dogs with high skin parasite burden contribute the most to the infected sand fly pool. Although skin parasite load and parasitemia correlated with one another, the average parasite number detected in skin was significantly higher compared to blood in matched subjects. Thus, dermal resident parasites were infectious to sand flies from dogs without detectable parasitemia.Conclusions/SignificanceTogether, our data implicate skin parasite burden and earlier clinical status as stronger indicators of outward transmission potential than blood parasite burden. Our studies of a population of dogs without vector transmission highlights the need to consider canine vertical transmission in surveillance and prevention strategies.     

MetroDogs: the heart in the machine

Dogs in the Moscow Metro, some say, have evolved a unique sentience: they navigate a human‐scaled infrastructure and interpret human motives there. Such assertions about dogs, and encounters with them on public transit, invoke Soviet‐era moral projects that wove sentiment (‘compassion’) and affect (‘attention’) through technical dreams: to erase material suffering and physical violence, to traverse the globe and the cosmos, to end wars and racisms. Dogs, after all, helped defeat the Nazis and took part in the space race. In the Metro now, their wags and barks stir debate about access and exclusion, resonating across assemblages of materials and meanings, social connections and signs. MetroDogs invite us to theorize the ways people extend connections in the moment well beyond the here‐and‐now.     

For the Love of Dog: The Human–Dog Bond in Rural and Remote Australian Indigenous Communities

ABSTRACT

The nature of the human–animal bond in contemporary Australian Indigenous communities is little researched, but it is essential to understand this bond in order to develop much needed appropriate animal health and management practices. A semi-structured interview format was used to elicit information on attitudes to dogs in seven Australian Indigenous communities. This explored the importance of dogs to the community and to the individual, and the balance between the positives and negatives of having dogs in the communities, with particular reference to improving dog and community health and welfare. Theme analysis of the semi-structured interview responses (n = 137) revealed a variety of attitudes to dogs within the communities. A strong theme was the importance of dogs at a community level. Many of the reasons given for the importance of dogs in the community were based on traditional cultural values or beliefs. These included dogs being necessary to guard people at night from spirits, and as part of the kin system. Further, the cultural practice of “pay-back” for wrong-doing included wrong-doing directed at dogs in all communities, even the most westernized. Occurring simultaneously with these positive attitudes, the poor health and overpopulation of dogs in the community was acknowledged and the negative effects on people's lives recognized. However, the value of the dogs to the community meant that shooting dogs without consent or poisoning them were not seen as appropriate solutions to overpopulation. Many people were prepared to euthanize some of their dogs (via an overdose of barbiturate) or have them undergo sterilization surgery. Thus, contrary to appearances from a Western perspective, the traditional Indigenous human–dog bond was found to be strong, and thus must be taken into account in developing appropriate and sustainable animal health and management practices.     

Preference for,and Responsiveness to,People, Dogs and Objects in Children with Autism

ABSTRACT

Autism strongly affects the ability to establish social interactions. However, there is some suggestion that people with autism establish close social relationships with nonverbal communicating and intentionally acting animals (such as dogs). In this study, 14 children with autism (3 females, 11 males; mean age = 11.4 years) were observed when given the choice to interact with a person, dog (certified therapy dog) or objects (e.g., toys). The children interacted most frequently and for longest with the dog, followed by the person and then the objects. We suggest that animals, specifically dogs, communicate their intentions in a way more readily understandable to people with autism. We also suggest that autism affects predominantly interpersonal interactions.     

Barriers to Social Participation among Lonely Older Adults: The Influence of Social Fears and Identity

IntroductionLoneliness among older adults is a major public health problem that may be associated with processes of social participation and identity. This study therefore sought to examine the relationship between social participation and identity in a sample of lonely older adults living independently in London, England.MethodAn inductive qualitative approach, based on semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, was employed.ResultsParticipants commonly spoke of barriers to social participation that have been reported elsewhere, including illness/disability, loss of contact with friends/relatives, lack of a supportive community, and lack of acceptable social opportunities. However, novel findings were also derived. In particular, participants commonly minimised the difficulties they faced alone, and described attempts to avoid social opportunities. These behaviours were linked to fears about engaging in social participation opportunities, including fears of social rejection and/or exploitation, and fears of losing valued aspects of identity.DiscussionIt is concluded that social participation amongst lonely older people will not improve through the removal of previously reported barriers alone; instead, older peoples’ beliefs, fears and identities must be addressed. Suggestions for implementing these findings within community organisations are provided.     

What Do Current and Potential Australian Dog Owners Believe about Shelter Practices and Shelter Dogs?

ABSTRACT

Many displaced dogs are unable to find new homes in developed countries, including Australia, each year, even though demand for dogs in general remains high. Understanding community attitudes towards shelter dogs and beliefs about common shelter practices, particularly behavioral assessments conducted by shelters, may help shed light on this issue. To investigate what current and potential dog owners think about shelter dogs, we used an internet-based survey to probe the beliefs and attitudes of 1647 self-selected adult participants, using the online Public Attitudes towards Animal Welfare Shelter-Dogs (PAAWS-D) Survey. Over 80% of the sample indicated they would be likely or very likely to obtain a future pet dog from an animal shelter or rescue organization. Nonetheless, one-third of the participants believed that adult shelter dogs often have behavioral problems. Most participants were aware of routine shelter procedures, such as health and behavioral checks, and the consequences of a dog failing these. Moreover, most participants considered the assessment of shelter dog behavior, using scientific methods, for adoption suitability important. These findings may be used to inform strategies to increase the number of shelter dogs adopted, by clarifying the content of tests used to assess adoption suitability. This could be complemented by daily training and rehabilitation programs to improve shelter dog behavior, increase adoptability, and enhance public perceptions of shelter dogs.     

Towards social life cycle assessment of mobility services: systematic literature review and the way forward

Purpose

The main purpose of this review is to describe the state of the art of social impact assessment with a focus on mobility services. Whereas the use phase plays an important role for the assessment of services in general, the evaluation of the use phase has been underrepresented in previous social life cycle assessment studies. For that reason, particular attention has been paid to indicators, which allow the assessment of social impacts during the use phase of mobility services.

Methods

Continuous efforts to mitigate climate change and to improve quality of life in cities result in new mobility solutions based on collective use. This will have a huge impact on our society transforming the use of vehicles. In order to better understand the implications for cities, society and the automotive industry, it is essential to evaluate the social impact generated along a product life cycle with particular attention to the use phase. To reach the goal, a systematic literature review was carried out with a focus on social indicators that allow assessing use phase impacts of mobility services. The indicators were analysed and allocated to stakeholder groups. Based on the analysis, a core set of indicators is proposed under consideration of data availability.

Results and discussion

Based on the selected search strings, 51 publications were selected for the literature review, including 579 social indicators. The analysis revealed a wide variety and diversity of indicators that are trying to measure the same aspect. The allocation to the respective stakeholder groups showed that most of the indicators (36%) evaluate impacts regarding the stakeholder group local community. The majority of analysed indicators are of quantitative nature (63%). Nevertheless, a clear assessment method was often missing in the respective publications. Therefore, for the core set of indicators, an assessment method is proposed for every indicator.

Conclusions

The results from this study can help practitioners as well as researchers in the field of urban mobility assessment as it systematically analyses social sustainability aspects. The presented data gives an overview of various indicators that are suggested in other publications, and the proposed core set of indicators can be used to evaluate different mobility services in further research.

     

Physical Activity and Welfare of Guide Dogs and Walking Activity of Their Partners

ABSTRACT

Appropriate physical activity is beneficial for physical and psychosocial wellbeing, and it is recommended for people to have 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week, to yield 150 minutes per week. Getting sufficient physical activity particularly challenges people with visual disabilities, and few health-promotion interventions have focused on adults with this disability. Recently, dog walking has been promoted in communities as a way to increase people's physical activity. We surveyed guide-dog partners to assess whether their guide dogs facilitated walking. We also assessed the welfare of these dogs, including their physical activity and social interactions with other dogs and people, especially as there is some concern that these dogs have too little freedom. For comparison, we assessed large and small companion dogs and their handlers, as well. A web-based survey was conducted among people living with guide dogs or companion (pet) dogs: large companion dogs (51 lb or more) and small companion dogs (50 lb or less). Guide-dog partners walked significantly more than handlers of either small or large companion dogs (Guide-dog partners met the healthy standard of 150 min per week of walking, at a level 10 times more than owners of large companion dogs). Guide dogs walked with their partners more frequently and for longer durations per day than owners of companion dogs. Guide dogs with their handlers met more people outside of their homes than did owners of companion dogs, but the groups did not differ in the number of dogs they greeted outside of the house. The frequencies of going to off-leash areas did not differ among the three groups. The findings indicate that having a dog as a guide can lead to a higher amount of walking among guide-dog partners, and that guide dogs have a higher quality of life, in terms of quantity of physical activity and social interactions, compared with large or small companion dogs.