Visit our research library for evidence-based information that affect dogs and the people that care for them.
To best understand this article in the context of behavior evaluations, see National Canine Research Council’s complete analysis here. Article citation: Willen, R. M., Schiml, P. A., & Hennessy, M. B. (2019). Enrichment centered on human interaction moderates fear-induced aggression and increases positive expectancy in fearful shelter dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 217, 57-62. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.05.001 National Canine Research Council’s Summary and Analysis: Background One purpose of this study was to demonstrate that vulnerable subpopulations of dogs living in shelters
Summary and Analysis: This paper is included because it comprehensively evaluates every study to date that has made validity, and/or reliability, and/or predictive ability claims about animal shelter canine behavior evaluations.
This study is included because it investigates presumed selection for a complex personality trait (impulsivity) among working lines of 2 breeds (those lines presumed to be selected for the ability to perform the breed traditional tasks), but also because it provides an example of the difficulties in defining a phenotype for large personality traits.
Here are our picks for a few things to think about this month when you find yourself in the mood to reflect on the amazing connections between people and animals and on policies and attitudes that can get in the way
And finally, have you been struck as we have, by the feckless willingness of dog professionals, and well, just about everybody, to hold forth about the mental and emotional state of a being with whom they have no personal acquaintance whatever and to make all sorts of recommendations about what should be done to or for him? Yes, we mean the now-famous Major Biden. Stay tuned for a blog about how irresponsible such opining is, absent any real information whatever, and when coming from a self-proclaimed behavior consultant is one of the most egregious forms of malpractice.
This is a two-part study that investigated factors that might mediate “aggression,” “fear,” and “anxiety” on behavior evaluations of shelter and pet dogs.
To estimate the number of injurious and severely injurious dog bites in the U.S., the CDC analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP).
This 2011 exploratory study used a large owner survey in an attempt to quantify behavioral commonalities among breeds and breed groups.
There has been much discussion lately explaining how denial of insurance coverage based on the breed of one’s family dog is a practice that discriminates against and unduly penalizes both less affluent customers and people of color.
Florida dog park opens, but dogs that act like dogs are prohibited
Our review has revealed no findings of breed based behavioral differences that successfully overcome all the difficulties presented by this question.
A 2019 article demonstrates that no canine behavior evaluation used for shelter dogs meets accepted scientific criteria that would justify routine use in shelters.
A 2018 study is beginning to unpack some of the genetic mysteries of the famous Russian farm fox experiment.
