Blogspot - Companion Animal Psychology

If you love Frenchies but the health issues give you pause, these are the dogs like  French bulldogs that you might like too. French Bulldog. Photo: Irinia Kozorog/Shutterstock. In 2018, French bulldogs became the most popular breed of dog in the UK , overtaking the Labrador retriever, which had the number 1 spot for almost thirty years. French bulldogs are also in the top ten dog breeds in  the US (no. 4), Canada (no. 5),  and Australia (no. 3). French bulldogs are lovely dogs but unfortunately they can suffer from a number of inherited conditions, which can be distressing for the dog and heart-breaking for the owner.  Because they have a squashed face, they are at risk of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome, can have trouble breathing, be reluctant to exercise, and may overheat in hot weather. Veterinarian Shaun Oppermann recently told The Guardian , "We tend to say: ‘Oh, it’s a French bulldog – it’s normal for them to breathe like that. But if your chil...

Opportunities to use the nose and make choices in nosework are good for dogs’ welfare. Photo: KM-Photography/Shutterstock We all know that dogs like to sniff. Is it possible that providing opportunities to find food in nosework can improve dogs’ wellbeing? New scientific research by Dr. Charlotte Duranton  (Ethodog) and Dr. Alexandra Horowitz  (Barnard College) finds that dogs who participate in nose work have increased optimism compared to dogs that took part in heelwork instead. Importantly, both activities involved perambulation, as well as food rewards as positive reinforcement . The difference is that in nosework the dog has the opportunity to use their nose and to exercise choice in what they are doing. The study used a test of optimism – also known as cognitive bias – in which dogs were first trained that a bowl in one location would always contain food, whereas a bowl in another location never did. Then the test involved an empty bowl placed in an ambiguous location, ...

The five freedoms of animal welfare, the one most people miss, and what it means for pet owners. Photo: Bad Monkey Photography When you get a new puppy or kitten, no one tells you your new pet has five main welfare needs that need to be met. But maybe they should, because they provide a framework for how we should care for dogs , cats , and other pets. Read on to find out what they are, how many pet owners know them, and why they matter to you. The Five Freedoms The Five Freedoms were originally defined by the UK’s Farm Animal Welfare Council in the 1960s, and subsequently updated. They are now understood to apply to the welfare of all animals, not just livestock. The Five Freedoms are: Freedom from hunger and thirst, by ready access to water and a diet to maintain health and vigour.  Freedom from discomfort, by providing an appropriate environment.  Freedom from pain, injury and disease, by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.  Freedom to express normal behaviou...

Could a standardized grading scheme that rates pets from “easy” to “extreme” improve the welfare of exotic pets? A leopard gecko. Photo: Gaschwald / Shutterstock Exotic pets face many welfare issues, according to a new paper in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior by Clifford Warwick et al. The paper suggests a standardized scheme for rating the difficulty of caring for exotic pets that it is hoped will make people think twice about keeping pets with hard-to-meet environmental needs. What is an exotic pet? Exotic pets are unusual pets. Essentially they are animals that are not native to a particular area, and are not domesticated (or only semi-domesticated). Another definition of an exotic pet is anything that is not a cat or dog. That’s the approach taken by the Calgary Humane Society , for example. Whichever definition we choose, it means there are many exotic pets in North America. For example, most of the fish that are kept as pets are not native to Canada or the USA, which mean...

Research investigates people's preferences for cats with normal, squashed or long head shapes. A Persian cat. Photo: Ewa Studio/Shutterstock Lately we’ve been hearing a lot about brachycephalic dogs and the health issues they can have as a result of having a squashed face, which include breathing difficulties and eye issues (read about why people choose brachycephalic dogs ). But what about cats ? Some breeds of cat also have squashed faces. A new study by Dr. Mark Farnworth (Nottingham Trent University) et al set out to investigate people’s preferences by asking them to rate photos of different types of cat. Dr. Farnworth told me in an email, “There has been quite a change in the companion animal population with more and more consumer desire for extreme conformations. Although these extremes are not yet mainstream (shown by the reduced desirability of cats with skulls that deviate from ‘normal’), people who own the extremes (e.g. Persians or Siamese) show increased preference for ...

Cat experts – including Mikel Delgado, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Sandra McCune, Kersti Seksel and Nicky Trevorrow – weigh in on the one thing that would make the world better for cats. Photo: JRJfin We love our feline friends, but at the same time there’s a lot that we, as a society, could do to make cats happier. So I asked several experts on cats to answer the question, “What’s the one thing that would make the world better for cats?” Read on to see what they have to say. And if you're a dog person, there's a related post on  how to make the world better for dogs  to check out next. This post is also available in Japanese . Thank you to Saramu Momma MSc and Risa Yoshida for the translation. Sebastiaan Bol, PhD Founder and CEO of Cowboy Cat Ranch (Website http://www.cowboycatranch.org/   Twitter ,  Facebook ) "Cats love plants (but only the ones that are safe for them)" “In general, creating a safe, fun and challenging environment for cats will make them truly happy. Env...