Highly Educated Men Establish Strong Emotional Links with Their Dogs : A Study with Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) in Committed Spanish Dog Owners

The characteristics of the human-animal bond may be influenced by both owner-related and dog-related factors. A study was designed to explore the existence of different dog ownership patterns and their related factors. We created an on line questionnaire that included demographic questions about the dog and the owner, a Spanish version of the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) and a validated measure of satisfaction with life (Cantril's ladder). We collected 1140 valid responses from adult dog owners, who were recruited using the client databases of Spanish veterinary practices. We explored the presence of groups within the population using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of the MDORS variables combined with Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Two groups were found; Group I having a higher level of emotional involvement with their dogs compared with Group II. Binary logistic regression was used to explore demographic factors that influenced group membership. Four variables were significantly associated with membership of Group I (p<0.0001); male gender of the owner (OR = 32.36), high school level of maximum educational attainment (OR = 0.052), university level of maximum educational attainment (OR = 8.652), and owner Cantril's score (OR = 0.807). The results obtained from this convenience sample demonstrate that different patterns of dog-ownership may be present within a population of owner-dog dyads, and that certain owner characteristics are associated with the type of owner-dog relationship. Future research could apply a similar approach to different types of sample population in order to identify specific patterns of dog-ownership

First evidence for an association between joint hypermobility and excitability in a non-human species, the domestic dog

There is a well-established relationship between joint hypermobility and anxiety in humans, that has not previously been investigated in other species. A population of 5575 assistance dogs were scored for both hip hypermobility and 13 behaviour characteristics using previously validated methods. Our results suggest a positive association between hip joint hypermobility and emotional arousal in domestic dogs, which parallel results found in people

El vínculo con los perros y con los gatos durante el estado de alarma por la pandemia de COVID-19 en España

El presente texto tiene como objetivo discutir los resultados de un estudio previo llevado a cabo sobre los efectos del estado de alarma por la COVID-19 en España sobre las personas, sus perros y sus gatos. Ayuda a comprender el apoyo que la gente obtiene de sus animales, sobre todo en momentos difíciles, y cómo el vínculo con los animales puede sustituir algunos aspectos de las relaciones humanas que podrían verse comprometidos durante una pandemia, como la compañía y el contacto físico. También se valora el efecto del confinamiento en los centros de acogida de animales de compañía. Estos resultados pueden ayudar a desarrollar intervenciones sanitarias que aprovechen el valor como capital social de la convivencia con animales de compañía.This paper aims to discuss the results of a previous study that looked at the effects of the COVID-19 confinement on people and their dogs and cats. It helps us to understand the support that people get from their animals, particularly at difficult times, and how the human-animal bond can compensate for certain aspects of human relationships that become compromised during a pandemic, such as companionship and physical contact. It also evaluates the effect of confinement on Spanish Animal Shelters. Our findings suggest ways in which public health interventions can take advantage of pets as a valuable source of social capital

Development of the cat-owner relationship scale (CORS)

Characteristics of the human-animal bond can be influenced by both owner-related and pet-related factors, which likely differ between species. Three studies adapted the Monash Dog-Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) to permit assessment of human-cat interactions as perceived by the cat's owner. In Study 1293 female cat owners completed a modified version of the MDORS, where 'dog' was replaced with 'cat' for all items. Responses were compared with a matched sample of female dog owners. A partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed systematic differences between cat and dog owners in the Dog (Cat)-Owner Interaction subscale (MDORS subscale 1), but not for Perceived Emotional Closeness or Perceived Costs (Subscales 2 and 3). Study 2 involved analysis of free-text descriptions of cat-owner interactions provided by 61 female cat owners. Text mining identified key words which were used to create additional questions for a new Cat-Owner Interaction subscale. In Study 3, the resulting cat-owner relationship scale (CORS) was tested in a group of 570 cat owners. The main psychometric properties of the scale, including internal consistency and factor structure, were evaluated. We propose that this scale can be used to accurately assess owner perceptions of their relationship with their cat. A modified scale, combining items from the CORS and MDORS (a C/DORS), is also provided for when researchers would find it desirable to compare human-cat and human-dog interactions. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Cat-Owner Relationship and Cat Behaviour : Effects of the COVID-19 Confinement and Implications for Feline Management

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the Italian COVID-19 lockdown on the cat-owner relationship and on cat behaviour. In order to do so, we used a questionnaire to obtain information on the owner and cat's demographics, living environment, cat behaviour, and possible changes in some aspects of the cat-owner relationship. The questionnaire was distributed online when the lockdown was still ongoing and was completed by 548 cat owners, mainly women. Our findings suggest that the greater amount of time that owners spent at home with their cats, as a consequence of the social restrictions, had a positive effect on the owner's perception of their relationship with their cat (e.g., higher frequency of interaction, greater emotional closeness, reduced perceived costs of caring for the cat). Similarly, the lockdown seemed to have improved the welfare of many cats, as suggested by the positive changes in many of their behaviours, even for those cats with pre-existing behavioural problems. Overall, our findings suggest that the lockdown provided many cats with a more thriving physical and social environment. They also highlight the need to reconsider some cat management practices commonly implemented in non-exceptional circumstances. The restrictive measures implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19 abruptly changed the lives of many cats and their owners. This study explored whether the lockdown in Italy affected the cat-owner relationship, as well as cat behaviour and welfare. A survey that included questions on owner and cat's demographics, living environment, cat behaviour and a modified version of the Cat/Dog Relationship Scale (C/DORS) was distributed online during the lockdown and was completed by 548 cat owners, mainly women (81.6%). With regard to the C/DORS subscales, both emotional closeness and cat-owner interactions increased during confinement, as opposed to a reduction in perceived costs. The effect of the type of job, family role and owner's age on the C/DORS scores suggests that the relationship improved for those owners that, due to the lockdown, increased the time spent with their cats. For 58.8% of respondents, their cat's general behaviour did not change, but when changes occurred, they were mostly positive (20.4%). Attention-seeking and demanding behaviours were the most increased during lockdown (25.7%). Cats with pre-existing problematic behaviours tended to either remain stable or improve during confinement. The overall positive effects of lockdown-related environmental changes on a cat's behaviour suggest that some aspects of commonly implemented cat management practices should be revised to improve cat welfare in normal circumstances

Compartir ideas, la universidad va al instituto. Análisis de la primera edición de un proyecto de aprendizaje servicio transversal a la Universidad de Barcelona

Esta comunicación presenta las principales claves de análisis y evaluación de la 1a edición del proyecto Compartir Ideas. La Universidad va al instituto. Este es un proyecto de aprendizaje servicio transversal que consiste en un ciclo de conferencias-taller impartidas por estudiantes de la UB sobre temes de interés general relacionados con sus estudios. El objetivo es compartir conocimientos y conversar sobre un tema que la universidad trabaja y que será relevante para la formación del alumnado de secundaria.El proyecto cuenta con el apoyo del Vicerectorado de Política Docente y Lingüística de la Universitat de Barcelona

Making the Case for Multi-Axis Assessment of Behavioural Problems

Companion animals can experience behavioural and mental health problems that are similar to those we see in people. These problems are influenced by many factors, including an animal's genetic background, its rearing environment, the environment it lives in, and the social relationships it has with people and other animals. This paper proposes a model for collecting and organising information about all of the factors that contribute to behavioural and mental health problems in companion animals, in order to produce a comprehensive, structured assessment of them. The systematic classification of human mental health disorders and behavioural problems in companion animals face the same challenges. These disorders and problems are complex, multi-factorial, and can interfere with the individual's ability to function within society, a social or family environment. Classification systems are reductive, they discard a lot of critical information, and can be overly focused on the presenting problem, inflexible and obstructive to new research. As a result, human psychiatry is moving away from classification systems and toward a clinical and research model based on dimensional characteristics that encompass the full range from normal to abnormal, and include multiple sources of influence from genetic, to environmental and psychosocial. In this paper, we set out a multi-axis model for the collection and organisation of information about companion animal behaviour problem cases that avoids some of the limitations of classification systems, is aligned with the current research approach in human psychiatry, and assists the clinician in making a complete and thorough assessment of a case

The value of companion dogs as a source of social support for their owners: findings from a pre-pandemic representative sample and a convenience sample obtained during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spain

Dogs are a source of companionship and comfort for their owners, but the degree to which this might translate into real emotional and social support has not been quantified. Emotional and social support are essential to help people to get through personal crises such as bereavement. In this study we characterize the social support owners obtain from their dogs, provide evidence of how widespread this social support is amongst dog-owners, and show how social support from dogs can increase during a crisis (using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example). We collected data from a representative population-based sample of Spanish dog-owners and found that most respondents said that their dogs helped them to get through tough times. They got comfort from physical contact with their dogs, shared activities with them and treated them as confidants in a similar way to friends and family. These are all key aspects of social support, and dogs offer the advantage of being more available than human sources of support. It would be expected that the support that dogs provide would be increased during a time of personal crisis and when we looked at data collected from a convenience sample of Spanish dog-owners during the COVID-19 confinement that is what we found; during the confinement owners engaged in more shared activities with their dogs, hugged them more often and turned to them more as a source of companionship and comfort (p < 0.0001 in all cases). However, although owners did confide more in their dogs (p < 0.0001), the effect was not as great as for other aspects of social support. We suspect that this is because people were able to use telecommunications such as video conferencing to maintain their human confidant relationships. Our findings indicate that dogs can substitute for humans as sources of some kinds of social support when conventional sources are unavailable. Our conclusion is that where a dog is present in a household, it should be regarded as an important resource for social support. This should be considered when designing clinical interventions and when public health decisions are being made

Epidemiology of Dog and Cat Abandonment in Spain (2008–2013)

Millions of pets are abandoned worldwide every year, which is an important animal welfare and financial problem. This paper was divided into three studies. Our first two studies were designed as a national survey of animal shelters to profile the population of stray dogs and cats, as well as to gather information on both relinquishment and adoption. The aim of our third study was to test the impact of identification on the recovery of dogs entering animal shelters. Studies one and two indicate that more than 100,000 dogs and more than 30,000 cats enter animal shelters annually in Spain. We observed a seasonal effect in the number of admissions in cats. Two-thirds of dogs and cats entering shelters were found as strays, while the rest were relinquished directly to the shelter. Most pets admitted to animal shelters were adult, non-purebred, and without a microchip, with the majority of dogs being medium sized. Adult dogs spent significantly more time in shelters than puppies. While most animals were either adopted or recovered by their owner, a considerable percentage remained at the shelter or was euthanized. The identification of dogs with a microchip increased by 3-fold the likelihood of them being returned to the owner