New Study Identifies our Different Ethical Beliefs about Animals

New research finds four ethical orientations towards animals, and some surprising links to cat and dog ownership and to other behaviours such as eating “welfare-friendly” meat.

We all have different views about what we think are ethical ways to treat animals. New research by Dr. Thomas Bøker Lund et al. (University of Copenhagen), published today in PLOS ONE, finds four different ethical orientations that are commonly held by the general public.

The results show just how complicated our ethical beliefs about animals are – and include some surprising results.

Two of the different orientations will probably be familiar:

Anthropocentrism – the idea that “human beings matter most”. This view may stem from religious beliefs or from beliefs that humans and animals are different, with humans being considered rational and more important than non-human animals.

Animal rights – this approach values all animals and argues that as sentient beings, animals also have rights and should be treated accordingly. This is the opposite view to anthropocentrism.

The other two ethical orientations are not academic but more likely reflect the views of ordinary people:

Animal protection – this means animals are seen as needing protection, but may be used so long as they are treated humanely and do not suffer. This view can be seen in regulations to protect the welfare of farmed animals, for example.

Lay utilitarianism – the idea that animals can be used so long as the benefits to humans outweigh any suffering by the animals. For example, according to this approach, the use of animals in medical research (even if the animals suffer) is considered acceptable so long as there are benefits to people.

The scientists conducted a series of three studies. In the first, they developed a questionnaire to investigate these four approaches, and tested it on Danish university students. This confirmed the questionnaire worked the way they expected.

Then they tested it on three groups of people: ordinary Danes from a range of backgrounds; Danes who tend towards veganism or vegetarianism; and Danes who work in some way in the meat industry.

These results confirmed the results of the previous study, with the exception of one question that was removed (more on this later).

“It is a remarkable and ironic finding… that a stronger animal protection orientation does not make people more likely to consume animal welfare-friendly meat.”

Finally, they gave the questionnaire to a large sample of Danes along with some other questions about their behaviour towards animals, such as whether they own a dog or cat, and how often they visit the zoo. This sample was intended to be representative, and since it was in some ways but not others (like level of education) they used some sophisticated statistics for the analysis.

And here’s where it gets really interesting.

Dog owners are less likely to be anthropocentric in their views. Is this because anthropocentric people are less likely to get dogs, or is there something about having a dog that makes people be less anthropocentric? This is a question for future research.

Cat owners are less likely to have the animal protection or lay utilitarian views. Why are cat owners less likely to be in what could be considered the middle ground? This is puzzling, and the researchers do not have an explanation for it.

Another finding is that the results are in line with something called the “underdog” effect that has previously been found in an American study. Women and those with lower levels of education were more likely to value an animal rights approach. It has been suggested that members of groups with less power in society are more likely to sympathize with animals.

One surprising finding relates to eating “welfare-friendly” meat.

The scientists say,

“It is a remarkable and ironic finding… that a stronger animal protection orientation does not make people more likely to consume animal welfare-friendly meat.”

Since they had expected the opposite to be the case, they did a bit more analysis. It turns out the most important reason is a lack of concern about animal welfare. Feeling that existing laws were good enough, and so the extra protections of “welfare-friendly” meat weren’t needed, was also part of the reason.

As for the one question that turned out not to fit in the second study, it related to the statement, “It is acceptable for humans to put animals down if it is done painlessly.” This suggests that attitudes to this are separate from the four main orientations considered here.

"Dog owners are less likely to be anthropocentric in their views."

Psychologists have known for a long time that attitudes do not necessarily predict behaviour, and the new scale highlights these tensions when it comes to our treatment of non-human animals.

Prof. Peter Sandøe, one of the authors of the study, told me in an email,

“Based on three studies conducted in Denmark, the four orientations were successfully identified and although not exhaustive, they represent distinctive accounts of the ways that animals matter. At one end of the spectrum, the anthropocentric orientation stresses that humans are the centre of the moral universe. At the other end of the spectrum, the animal rights orientation claims that sentient animals are entitled to the same rights as humans. The animal protection orientation is interpreted as a mainstream sentiment emphasizing that the welfare of animals is important in its own right, and that animals must be treated humanely and without unnecessary suffering while lay utilitarianism offers a more cynical take on animal welfare: all forms of animal use are in principle acceptable as long as the human benefits outweigh the disadvantages for the animals involved.

We argue that the developed measure can help detect the ethical orientations that have an impact on various types of behaviours that include animals, thus drive a more nuanced understanding about the attitudinal sources and justifications of different forms of animal use.”

This is fascinating research that captures the complexity of people’s beliefs about ethics and animals. It will enable future studies to explore the reasons behind differences between what people believe in and what people actually do when it comes to their ethical beliefs about animals.

The full paper is open access and can be read at the link below. Update: Dr. Marc Bekoff has interviewed the authors of the study and it is well worth a read to find out what they think of the results, what it means for animal welfare, and how this research can be used in future.

Which of the four ethical orientations most closely reflects your own beliefs about the treatment of animals?


Reference
Lund, T.B., Kondrup, S.R., and Sandøe, P. (2019) A multidimensional measure of animal ethics orientation – Developed and applied to a representative sample of the Danish public, PLoS ONE, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211656

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Finding Hidden Food in Nosework Increases Dogs' Optimism

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, equidistant from the other two places.

The idea is that the length of time taken to get to the bowl reflects the dog’s optimism that it would contain a piece of chicken.

20 adult dogs of various breeds took part in the study, including Australian Shepherds, Huskies, Cocker Spaniels, and other breeds/mixes.

Half of the dogs took part in a nosework activity with their owner, while the other half did heelwork.

The dogs took part in a group class with their owner (either nosework or heelwork), then the owner practised at home with them once a day for a week.  Then there was a second class, followed by a second week of practice at home.

Immediately before and after the two weeks of the activity, each dog took part in the cognitive bias training and test.

Each activity was structured so there was some development from the beginning to the end. For example, in the first heelwork class the dog was initially rewarded with a treat for taking two paces with the owner, building up to ten paces. In the second week, changes of direction were included.

Similarly, in the first nosework class, dogs began by finding a hide (i.e. treat) in a box, then in one of three boxes. When they found it, additional treats were added to the box. In the second week, boxes were put on chairs and/or further apart to make it more challenging.

Prior to the activities, there were no differences between the two groups of dogs in the cognitive bias test.

Photo: Sergey Fatin/Shutterstock

At the end of the two weeks, the latency for dogs in the nosework group to reach the bowl was significantly shorter. However, for dogs in the heelwork group, it was no different than in the previous test.

These results suggest that dogs in the nosework group were more optimistic.

Dogs in both groups had the chance to earn food rewards, so why the difference?

One reason could be that in nosework, dogs have a lot of choice in what they are doing, because they can move around the room and the boxes as they wish. In doing so, they are problem-solving, and successful problem-solving makes dogs happy too.

Another reason could be because of the opportunities to use their nose. Smell is the most important sense for dogs, and it is important to provide environmental enrichment that gives animals opportunities to use the most important sense and express normal behaviours.

The scientists explain there are some other possible explanations, although they do not think they are likely. For example, the dogs that did nosework were trained to search with their nose (but remember, the food bowl was empty in the cognitive bias task).

I think another difference between the conditions is the manner of reward delivery – one reward per set of steps in heelwork versus several rewards at once on finding the box containing food in nosework. This is consistent with how these are normally taught. It is possible dogs preferred receiving a 'jackpot' like in the nosework. However, other research shows dogs don't run faster for increased quantity of food, so this is not a likely explanation.

This is a fascinating study and it's great that scientists are looking at what kinds of activities are good for dogs' welfare.

This research shows it is important to give our pet dogs choices, opportunities to make their own decisions, and chances to use their nose. Doing so is good for their welfare, which is likely why the nosework training led to better results than heelwork.

If you are interested in trying nosework with your dog, you can find a list of Certified Nose Work Instructors here. See five fun things to do to make your dog happy today and six ways to entertain your dog indoors for more enrichment ideas.

What opportunities do you give your dog to use their nose and make choices?


Reference
Duranton, C., & Horowitz, A. (2018). Let me sniff! Nosework induces positive judgment bias in pet dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.12.009

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America’s Changing Relationship with the Pet Dog

How pet dogs moved from the streets to their owner’s beds, adoptions from shelters went up, and euthanasia rates went down.

Photo: NotarYES/Shutterstock

From large numbers of free-ranging dogs in the 70s, fast forward to today where many pet dogs sleep in their owner’s bed, and you can see how much Americans love their dogs.

A review of the dog and shelter dog population from the early 1970s to today by Dr. Andrew Rowan (Humane Society of the United States) and Tamara Kartal (Humane Society International) charts some encouraging trends.

Shelter Euthanasia Rates

In the 70s, an estimated 25% of dogs in the US were allowed to run free in the streets. In 1973, The HSUS estimated that 20% of America’s dogs and cats were euthanized in animal shelters.

That’s 35 million dogs and cats in one year.

Animals arriving at shelters were typically looked after for 3-7 days (in case they were claimed by the owner) and then euthanized.

In 2010, the proportion of pet dogs euthanized by shelters each year is estimated at just below 2.5% of the dog population.

Since the 1970s, shelter euthanasia rates for dogs and cats have dropped substantially. Figure from Rowan & Kartal (2018) reproduced under Creative Commons licence

Responsible Pet Ownership

In the mid-late 70s, groups such as The HSUS, American Humane Association, and the National Animal Control Association began to campaign on responsible pet ownership.

This included the idea that people should spay or neuter their pets. One factor the review identifies as important in encouraging this is the introduction of differential licensing fees that mean people who do not spay/neuter their dog have to pay more in their licence fee.

"95% of people say their pets are family members, according to a 2015 survey"

The development of clinics that offer low-cost spay/neuter surgeries is another factor in reducing the number of unwanted pets.

These days, the proportion of dogs that are spayed or neutered is very high – the review says almost 100% for dogs in Los Angeles compared to just under 11% in 1971.

Dog Adoption Rates and Microchips

Another big change mentioned in the report is the increased numbers of people who adopt dogs from animal shelters and rescues. They say that from 2010 the rate of adoptions increased such that it helped to reduce euthanasia rates at shelters.

A national advertising campaign that began in 2009 is credited as helping to increase the number of pet adoptions. (Incidentally, research shows that most people who adopt a shelter dog say the dog meets their expectations and that most cat and dog adopters are satisfied with their new pet).

Another factor in reducing euthanasia rates, although not as big as adoptions, is the increase in shelters’ abilities to return lost pets to their owners. As more and more people get their pets microchipped, it is possible to scan dogs and contact their owners to pick them up. (However, the report does note that early competition between different microchip standards was a problem).

Reproduced from Rowan and Kartal (2018) under Creative Commons licence

Pets as Family

The review also comments on people’s changing relationship with their pets, which means dogs are now increasingly thought of as family, and the amount of money spent on pets has gone up substantially.

Over the past ten years, they say, people have become more likely to get a pet “purposefully” (62%) rather than “serendipitously” (26%). Ten years ago, those numbers were 46% and 37% respectively.

Data shows an increase in the percentage of people saying they adopted their dog from a shelter or rescue. Reproduced from Rowan and Kartal (2018) under Creative Commons licence.

Surveys put the proportion of dogs that sleep on their owner’s bed at between about 50% and 71%.

Finally, 95% of people say their pets are family members, according to a 2015 survey.

Rowan and Kartal write,

“Owning a dog has become a conscious choice rather than incidental and with this shift we see a changing relationship. One of the first indicators is the level of confinement of companion dogs (from free roaming to confined and clearly associated with a household). This happened around the same time that sterilization became part of the basic care. Following this change, dogs moved into homes and became identified as more formal members of the family.”

The research uses data from a variety of sources, including the American Pet Products Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, individual shelters, and software packages that some shelters use to track animals. While the data varies in time frame, quality, and reach, they have pulled it together to draw a national picture, as well as to consider some states in particular.

The review suggests these lessons can provide a model for other countries, but it is important to remember that cultural factors will need to be taken into account.

Even one dog or cat euthanized due to lack of a home is one too many, and so there is still a long way to go. But this review shows what has been achieved in the US in the last few decades. Let’s hope life continues to improve for our pet dogs and cats.

What do you think are the biggest welfare issues for dogs today?


The paper is open access (link below).

Reference
Rowan, A., & Kartal, T. (2018). Dog population & dog sheltering trends in the United States of America. Animals, 8(5), 68.

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Companion Animal Psychology News January 2019

Where guide dogs come from, why cats aren’t antisocial, and what pet obesity says about us…

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

“At the risk of sounding evil, Labrador puppies aren't at their cutest as newborns. They look like wrinkly hamsters.” Guide dogs: Where do they really come from? By Rebecca Seales. And despite the quote, the photos are adorable.

“When it comes to age-related illnesses, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are some of the most notorious and least understood human afflictions. But did you know that man’s best friend can suffer from very similar ailments?” Senior dogs can suffer from dementia too by Saryn Chorney. 

“What do I want, and how do I reinforce it? In other words, you’re not going to “lose weight,” you’re going to lose 5 pounds by the end of the month and reinforce it by buying more sheepdog training videos.”  Patricia McConnell takes a look at what dog training teaches us about resolutions.

“Your dear dog sniffs the same fire hydrant day after day, why not use your dog’s walk to get a few things done? But, there are dangers associated with distracted dog walking.” The dangers of distracted dog walking by Joan Grassbaugh Forry at The Dog Abides.

“Many pet and shelter cats are pretty eager to interact with humans — particularly people who seek out kitty caresses.” If you think cats are antisocial, maybe it’s you, scientists find, by Karin Brulliard.

"Even animals that aren’t eating too much or exercising too little are getting fat. If we can figure out why, we may have the key to our own obesity crisis – and how to stop it." Our pets: The key to the obesity crisis? By Jules Montague at BBC Futures 

“Let’s talk about fake news. Not the political stuff cluttering up your social media feeds, but the kind surrounding canine and feline behavior.” Dr. Julia Albright on debunking behaviour myths.

“If you get to the end of this post and come to the conclusion that I'm just jealous, you're absolutely right. I'm jealous of you and your carefree dog.” Off-leash envy by Glenna Cupp at Your Practical Pup will resonate with many.

“We love them. We live with them. We are mystified by them. “ Listen to Felinology with Dr. Mikel Delgado at Alie Ward’s Ologies podcast. 

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This month, I’d like to say a special thank you to Shannon and the Companion Animal Project, C. Wilson, Donna, and Ocean Park Dog Training for their support. It is invaluable!

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

This month, I was very happy to be quoted in this piece by Linda Lombardi for Fear Free Happy Homes, Can cats and dogs get along? Science says yes. And I’m delighted that the Animal Books group is included in Lincoln Pet Culture’s list of cat enrichment groups on Facebook.

"Advertising is often aspirational, and the idea that it should also be aspirational in terms of animal welfare is a good one." At my Psychology Today blog Fellow Creatures, I looked at the British Veterinary Associations new guidelines for advertisers in Using pets to sell:  Responsible use of pets in advertising. What do you think?

Did you see Dr. Christian Nawroth’s guest post, Despite all the media fuzz, goats are not the new dogs? It’s a must-read for anyone who has or is considering pet goats.

My list of the pet people to follow in 2019 is out, and you will find many talented and dedicated people with interesting social media feeds to add to your list. Thank you to everyone who has been adding their favourites in the comments on the blog. There’s still time for more!

Women and pets in art is like an online art gallery visit to see four representations of women with cats or dogs.

To round off 2018, animal lovers and Companion Animal Psychology readers told me about the animal book they had most enjoyed reading during the year. If you’re looking for something to read, take a look!

And in case you are wondering, the Companion Animal Psychology Book Club takes January off, but if you go to the page you'll find a sneak preview of February's book. You'll find all of the books (and some other cool stuff too) on my Amazon store, https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub.

Pets in Art

This beautiful colour woodblock print is Cat Pawing at Goldfish by Isoda Koryusai, dated 1770-1774.

It’s in the Asian Art section of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Pet People to Follow in 2019

The canine and feline scientists, pet professionals, bloggers, and organizations to follow on social media in 2019.

Are you looking for some new pet-related accounts to follow in 2019? I’ve updated my list of some of the best people and organizations to follow on Twitter and Facebook if you’re interested in companion animals, science, and the human-animal bond.

These are people or groups who produce great content of their own AND also have a varied feed that shares news, research and interesting snippets from around the web.

I’ve given links to Twitter and Facebook accounts so you can follow however you choose (some are more active on one than the other). The first link is always to Twitter so this is like a giant #FF. The second link is to Facebook if they are on there too, but I admit this list is somewhat biased towards Twitter.

The list is in no particular order, so read through and see who you would like to follow.

And if you love dogs, cats and science, please follow me too (Twitter, Facebook) if you don’t already! You can subscribe to Companion Animal Psychology to make sure you never miss a post.

Of course, there are many talented people in the world, so please add your own suggestions for people or organizations to follow in the comments below.

This page contains affiliate links.

Dr. John Bradshaw – anthrozoologist and best-selling author of The Animals Among Us: How Pets Make Us Human, Dog Sense (In Defence of Dogs), Cat Sense, and co-author of The Trainable Cat

Dr. Sarah Ellis – co-author of the The Trainable Cat and feline behaviour specialist at International Cat Care

Dr. Hal Herzog – Professor of Psychology at Western Carolina University and author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals.

Dr. Alexandra Horowitz (Facebook) – canine cognition scientist and best-selling author of Inside of a Dog and Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell.

Family Dog Project (Facebook) – the canine behaviour research group shares frequent updates on the latest scientific research from their team and others around the globe

Julie Hecht (Dog Spies) – don't miss the fantastic posts on canine science at Julie's Scientific American blog Dog Spies, and stay up to date with all the best dog news via her Twitter feed

Mia Cobb (Do You Believe in dog?) – now a canine science community with guest posts from young scientists on the blog and a feed full of news about canine science and women in STEM

International Cat Care (Facebook) – a great resource for cat lovers, with information and advice for owners and professionals, as well as cute cat pictures too

Dr. Ilana Reisner (Facebook) – this veterinary behaviourist regularly deconstructs dog bite incidents to teach you how to prevent dog bites, and shares interesting and evidence-based items on animal behaviour and training

Dr. Pete Wedderburn (Facebook) – veterinary advice and news, regular Telegraph columnist, author of Pet Subjects: Animal Tales from the Telegraph's Resident Vet, and you’ll find a large library of articles on his website too.

Dr. Mikel Delgado (Feline Minds) – Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant, postdoctoral researcher, and co-author (with Jackson Galaxy) of Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat shares information about cats and squirrels, with especially useful information on food puzzles for cats

Ingrid Johnson (Fundamentally Feline) –  education about cats and gorgeous photos from this Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant

BC SPCA (Facebook) – in amongst the photos of adoptable animals there is plenty of advice on how to care for pets, including videos packed with tips

Maddie’s Fund (Facebook) – lots of tips to help shelter dogs and cats, along with social media and website advice for the people running the shelters #ThankstoMaddie

The Academy for Dog Trainers (Facebook) – for links to top-notch dog training advice from Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers (“the Harvard of dog training”)

Kristi Benson (Facebook) – dog trainer, sled dog expert, and Academy tutor, with a funny and entertaining dog training blog

Pet Professional Guild (Facebook) – advice on dog training and news from the organization for force free pet professionals

IAABC – information on behaviour problems in pets and links to journal articles and mentorships from the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants

Dr. Jessica Hekman DVM (Facebook) – the author of The Dog Zombie blog is a vet with a PhD in genomics, a postdoctoral associate at the Karlsson Lab, and a great explainer of canine genetics

Darwin's Ark – a nonprofit (formerly known as Darwin's Dogs) using citizen science to study dog evolution and find new insights into dog and human psychiatric diseases

Dr. Brian Hare (Facebook) – information on animal minds and evolution, especially dogs and bonobos, from the associate professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke, co-author of The Genius of Dogs and founder of Dognition

Dr. Gregory Berns – scientist who uses fMRI to study dogs’ brains, author of How Dogs Love Us and What It's Like to Be a Dog

Pam Johnson-Bennett (Facebook) – cat news and tips from the best-selling author of Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss and host of Animal Planet’s Psycho Kitty

Susan Little DVM – this veterinarian specializes in feline medicine and has a twitter feed packed with intriguing facts about cats

Dr. Melanie Rock – information about non-human animals and health, including dog parks and dog bite prevention, from this Associate Professor at the University of Calgary

Martha Smith-Blackmore DVM – this compassionate expert in veterinary forensics is a Faculty Fellow at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and shares information on animal cruelty and animal welfare

Dr. Malcolm Campbell – biologist and Vice President (Research) at the University of Guelph, follow Malcolm for science tweets and #SixIncredibleThingsBeforeBreakfast (currently on a break from Twitter, but be sure to follow when he's back)

The Centre for Shelter Dogs (Facebook) – part of the Cummings Veterinary School at Tufts University and brings you lots of resources to help shelter dogs

Anthrozoology Research Group (Facebook)  – shares links to interesting anthrozoological research by themselves and from around the globe

Dr. Sam Gaines – head of the Companion Animal dept at the RSPCA, with lots of tips to improve animal welfare and #EndBSL

Photo: Photo-SD/Shutterstock

Dr. Rachel Casey – veterinary behaviourist and animal welfare scientist at Dogs Trust, so look out for lots of great info on canine behaviour

UCD Vet Behaviour Services – recent research and behaviour information from the Behaviour Service at UCDavis

Dr. Chris Blazina – psychologist with a special interest in understanding men and their canine best friends, shares interesting links about human animal interaction

Dr. Alan McElligott – tweets about his research and about animal behaviour, welfare and cognition generally; look out for the entertaining goat stories and photos of Jack the Lab

Dr. Marc Bekoff – animal emotions, moral behaviour, and conservation topics from the author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do, plus a very active Psychology Today blog

ASA Animals Society (Facebook) – the American Sociological Association looks at the complex relationships between humans and animals

Dr. Marc Abraham (Facebook) – animal welfare campaigner and veterinarian of the year, founder of Pupaid (Facebook), a UK group campaigning against puppy farms, with regular games of #GuessTheBreed

Dr. Sophia Yin – the account of the company set up by the late Dr. Sophia Yin, CattleDog Publishing, shares her writings and educational links on animal behaviour.

Dr Marty Becker DVM (Facebook) veterinary information and stories about the human-animal bond from America’s veterinarian, author of many books and co-author of From Fearful to Fear Free, and founder of Fear Free (Facebook) and Fear Free Happy Homes to help dogs and cats have a better experience at the veterinarian

Dr. Emily Blackwell  – clinical animal behaviourist, scientist at the University of Bristol, and TV expert, shares animal welfare and animal behaviour science and tips.

Dr. Jenny Stavisky – shelter vet and epidemiologist as well as uplifting tweets about how Vets in the Community help the most vulnerable pets

Dr. Sebastiaan Bol – researcher and found of Cowboy Cat Ranch, look out for all the cute kitty photos

Dr. Naomi Harvey – zoologist, ethologist and research fellow at the Itchy Dog Project

Dr. Kat Littlewood (Facebook) – small animal veterinarian and PhD student especially interested in cats and animal welfare, with an interesting blog too 

Dr. Sandra McCune – scientific leader in Human Animal Interaction at WALTHAM

Photo: Mary Rice/Shutterstock

Kim Monteith - manager of animal welfare at the BC SPCA and volunteer at Charlie’s Food Bank helping the pets of the homeless in Vancouver

Dr Kate Mornement (Facebook) – PhD-qualified behaviourist at Pets Behaving Badly – Solutions with Dr Kate with an interesting blog on dogs, cats and parrots

Dr. Carri Westgarth – research fellow in human animal interaction and dog trainer, specializing in research on dog walking and dog bites

Dr. Zoe Belshaw – evidence-based approaches to veterinary science from this veterinary specialist at the University of Nottingham

Dr. Emma Milne (Facebook) – the vet behind vets against brachycephalism, author and animal welfare enthusiast 

Dr. Patrizia Piotti – postdoctoral research on dog behaviour and cognition 

Dr. Taryn M Graham – Graham recently completed her PhD and is interested in how dogs can help promote health in cities, and founder of PAWSitive Leadership which takes certified dogs into classrooms to teach children.

Dr. Christy Hoffman (Facebook) – regular updates on anthrozoology from the Canisius Canine research team

Dr. Caroline Spence – academic interested in animal welfare and sentience and how we understand animal minds

Dr. Debra Horwitz (Facebook) – veterinary behaviourist and author of Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Canine and Feline Behavior

Cats Protection (Facebook) – cat videos and advice on how to care for your cat as well as lots of cute pics from this large UK charity

Dr. Tamara Montrose – animal welfare and behaviour scientist who researches sensory environmental enrichment and how to increase shelter adoptions

Dr. Anne Fawcett – small animal veterinarian with a special interest in ethics, co-author of Veterinary Ethics: Navigating Tough Cases, and with a blog that looks at owners, veterinarians and the human-animal bond

Dr. Vanessa Rohlf (Facebook) – compassion fatigue consultant shares information on coping with animal bereavement and resiliency for people who work with animals

Dr. Nik Taylor – research and news on the sociology of human-animal interaction

Photo: matabum/Shutterstock

Dr. Christian Nawroth – postdoctoral researcher in animal cognition including goats and pigs (don't miss his post for Companion Animal Psychology on why goats are not the new dogs!)

Kathy Sdao - certified applied animal behaviourist and dog trainer and author of Plenty in Life Is Free

Malena de Martini (Facebook) – training and resources on separation anxiety from the author of Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Laura Monaco Torelli (Facebook) – dog trainer and Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, with a feed full of interesting dog training and animal behaviour info

James Oxley – independent researcher on dog bites and rabbits who shares HAI information and conferences

Clare Ellis - PhD candidate interested in animal welfare and the reasons for relinquishment of rabbits

Janetta Harvey (Facebook) – tireless campaigner against puppy farms and sharer of information on dogs in general and Schnauzers in particular.

Joanna Berger – animal behaviourist and trainer who shares lots of information on behaviour and welfare for dogs, cats and birds

Jemima Harrison – campaigner for better health and welfare for purebred dogs and the director of Pedigree Dogs Exposed

Catherine Amiot – social psychologist who studies self and identity and human-animal relations

Sharklab – Dr Khristof  Dhont’s group at the University of Kent studies the psychology of intergroup relations and human-animal relations, with insights not just into animals but also into racism, sexism, and how to build compassion.

Hunter College ABC – animal science from the Hunter College Psychology department

Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere –  studies social play behaviour in canids and dog perception and behaviour at the Thinking Dog Centre at Hunter College

OVC Companion Animal Behavior and Welfare Lab (Facebook) – The team from Ontario Veterinary College has an active Facebook feed with details of their own research and articles on how to care for all kinds of pets

American College of Veterinary Behaviourists (Facebook) – Veterinary behaviourists are specially trained veterinarians who can help with your pet’s behaviour problems and even prescribe psychotropic medication if needed. Follow the ACVB for up-to-date information that will help you understand your pet better; they are also the authors of Decoding Your Dog.

Photo: Inha Makeyeva/Shutterstock

Debbie Jacobs (Facebook) – if you have a fearful dog, don't miss the essential tips from Debbie Jacobs, author of A Guide to Living with & Training a Fearful Dog; there's also an associated Facebook group for those with a fearful dog in their life

Dr. Wailani Sung – Veterinary behaviourist and co-author (with Dr. Marty Becker and others) of From Fearful to Fear Free

Insightful Animals (Facebook) – the Twitter feed of veterinary behaviourist Dr. Kelly Ballantyne  shares insights into our companion animals and their behaviour

Marilyn Krieger (Facebook) – Cat Coach and author of Naughty No More, Krieger shares tips about feline behaviour and wild felidae conservation 

Lucia Lazarowska – postdoc canine scientist at Auburn studying canine olfactory detection who shares her research and general canine science articles and info

Dr. Clive Wynne – Director of the Canine Science Collaboratory and author who tweets on canine science and all things dog

Dr. Susan Hazel – with a background in veterinary science, animal welfare, and animal behaviour, Hazel’s research includes dogs, sheep and chickens

Molly Crossman – Clinical psychology grad student who looks at the benefits of interactions with animals for human stress and mental health

Dr. Páraic Ó Súilleabháin (Facebook) –  This psychologist studies animal behaviour and personality, including breed specific legislation, his feed has stories about many species of animal

Bronwyn Orr – This vet and animal welfare PhD candidate writes for The Conversation and has an interesting feed about companion animals and wildlife

Melissa McCue McGrath – The author of Considerations for the City Dog tweets about modern dog training and current affairs.

O’HaireLab – Dr. Maggie O’Haire is an associate professor of human-animal interaction who researches how service dogs can help veterans with PTSD

Victoria Stilwell (Facebook) – dog training advice and rescue stories from the TV star and author of It's Me or the Dog

Thomas McNamee – links to science stories and cat videos from the author of The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions

Mikkel Becker (Facebook)  – follow  on Facebook for expert advice from this professional dog trainer who is also co-author of From Fearful to Fear Free

Nick Honor K9 and Puppy Stars (Facebook) – cute photos of pets mingle with news and advice on dog training

Canine Correspondence – Laura Spackman’s Facebook hub sharing information from across the web on our canine best friends, with a mix of helpful information and amusing memes

Family Paws (Facebook) – Tips on how to properly supervise babies and children with dogs, and how to use baby gates, pens and the layout of your house to set your dog and child up for success

Dewdney Animal Hospital (Facebook) – veterinarian Dr. Adrian Walton has a feed that is both local (for his clients) and broad in themes that resonate for all pet owners, like puppy mills and his pink tutus for pit bulls campaign


Now it's your turn. Who would you add to the list? Add a comment below to share your favourite people to follow.


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Fellow Creatures: A New Post

I have a new post at my Psychology Today blog Fellow Creatures about a study that looked at whether a dog walking program has benefits for people with intellectual disabilities who live in supported housing.

The results of this exploratory study found there were more friendly interactions with other people when a dog was present. Read more here.

Photo: dawnie206/Pixabay

Dogs, Cats and Humans: The Best Sleep Partner...?

Women whose dog sleeps on the bed report better sleep than those with a human or feline sleeping partner.

Photo: Julie Vader/Shutterstock

Whether or not pets should be allowed to sleep on the bed is an age-old question. Some worry it will lead to a disturbed night’s sleep, while some old-fashioned dog trainers still claim it will spoil the dog. The latter argument is based on out-dated ideas about dominance and dog training and can be easily dismissed, but the issue of sleep quality is starting to get researchers attention.

A new study by Dr. Christy Hoffman (Canisius College) et al and published in Anthrozoös asked women about who sleeps in/on the bed with them and how good they thought their sleep was over the previous month.

The results show dogs are a less disruptive sleep partner than another human, while cats are just as disruptive as humans. Dogs are perceived as providing more comfort and security than another human, while cats provide even less.

Not only that, but women with a dog (or a dog and a cat) go to bed earlier and get up earlier than women with just a cat. They also have more regular sleep/wake times throughout the week, perhaps because of the need to provide toilet breaks for the dog. Regular sleep/wake times have been linked to better sleep quality in other research.

Dr. Christy Hoffman says,

“Ordinary dog and cat owners should know that there is still much to explore about the impacts that pets have on their owner’s sleep quality (and vice versa!). While our data suggest that women commonly perceive their dogs to be better bed partners than cats or adult humans, some dogs may make terrible bed partners and some cats may positively contribute to their owner’s sleep. We need more information to sort out the situations under which a pet in the bed may enhance an individual’s sleep quality and the situations under which it detracts from sleep quality.  

I hypothesize that findings from follow-up studies may be a bit mixed. That is, I anticipate we will find that pets may facilitate relaxation, which may be particularly beneficial for individuals who tend to feel they are vulnerable when they sleep; however, pets may also be associated with some night time disturbances, some of which we might not even recall the next morning.”

962 American women took part in the research. The vast majority of participants had a pet, and just over half lived in New York State. They completed a validated questionnaire about sleep quality (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and questions about how they perceived their sleep had been affected by human, cat and dog bed partners in the last month.

57% of participants had a human sleeping partner, 55% shared their bed with a dog (or dogs) and 31% with a cat (or cats).

When women let their pet sleep on the bed, responses varied as to whether they slept better, worse, or no different if the pet slept in contact with them. Amongst the dog owners, a majority thought their dog spent at least 75% of the night on the bed, but responses for cats were more spread out and suggest cats spend less time on the bed than dogs.

Many participants had deficits in sleep quality, but the rates were the same for pet owners and non pet owners.

In case you are wondering, men were welcome to take part in the research but very few chose to do so, which is why these results focus on women. Researchers often find men are less likely to take part in research than women. Earlier studies have found women report sleeping less well than men, so this is an interesting topic for research.

These results are fascinating but raise many questions about co-sleeping with pets. The extent of disruption at night as well as feelings of comfort and security are all important. Women with a pet (dog, cat, or both) in the bed report higher levels of comfort and security than those without a pet in the bed.

People’s self-reports about sleep quality may not be entirely accurate, as some disturbances may not be remembered in the morning. The scientists are already investigating how to use accelerometers to assess how much time dogs spend resting or active.

Dr. Marc Bekoff did a great interview with Dr. Christy Hoffman about this research. If you want to learn more, check it out at Psychology Today. You can follow Dr. Hoffman's research via the Canisius Canines Facebook page.

Does your pet sleep on the bed, and if so, how do you think your sleep is affected?

If you love Companion Animal Psychology, you can support me on ko-fi. Ko-fi is like a tip jar that lets you buy a coffee for creators whose work you like. And why not subscribe to Companion Animal Psychology to make sure you never miss a post.

Reference
Hoffman, C. L., Stutz, K., & Vasilopoulos, T. (2018). An Examination of Adult Women’s Sleep Quality and Sleep Routines in Relation to Pet Ownership and Bedsharing. Anthrozoös, 31(6), 711-725. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2018.1529354

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