Measuring Behaviour Part One
Medical problems can be diagnosed by assessing against a standard. The average temperature of a healthy dog is 101 F or 38 C, however, the normal temperature of a healthy dog may range from 99 F to 102.5 F (37.2 C 39.2 C). Anything outside of that temperature may indicate a problem
A normal dog s heart beats from 50 to 130 times a minute in a resting dog. Puppies and small dogs have faster speeds. Large dogs in top physical condition have slower heartbeats.
Just like a dogs physical condition, its behaviour can also be classified and measured.
Behaviour Classifications Many researchers have considered social behaviour in animals and some have agreed on eleven behavioural classifications. These categories may be convenient in discussing dog, cat and horse behaviour.
Contactual Behaviour This type of behaviour is the result of seeking affection and/or protection usually from group members, attachment figures or, with companion animals, with their owners.
Ingestive Behaviour This is taking in both water and food, which is considered normal for the species. Ingesting non-food items (pica) is not usually considered normal ingestive behaviour.
Eliminative Behaviour This encompasses normal urination and defecation as well as territory marking which, although it can be a nuisance, is considered normal for the species.
Sexual Behaviour This includes all actions and activities associated with reproduction and include courtship displays as well as the act of copulation itself.
Epimeletic Behaviour This simply means the giving of care and attention where one animal carries out an act that is beneficial to the other party involved. Grooming/licking behaviour is the most common form of epimeletic behaviour.
Et-epimeletic Behaviour This is when the dog calls out for care and attention. Symptoms include attention seeking barking, howling, digging and chewing
Allelomimetic Behaviour (mimicry) This behaviour is sometimes referred to as contagious or infectious behaviour and exists where one animal copies the behaviour of another. It is often seen in both play and stress related behaviours and is usually the result of observational learning.
Investigative Behaviour Sometimes referred to as exploratory behaviour. This is where an animal learns about its environment by using senses such as touch, sight, smell and hearing. During the investigative process of a new and novel item the animal is likely to be in a reactive state and will be quick to over react if startled.
Agnostic Behaviour This behaviour includes all actions that are a result of conflict or fighting and includes displays of aggression.
Dominance Maintaining rank through displays of strength and threats is usually preferred to actually fighting. A dominance hierarchy is essential in maintaining a good group structure within a social pack of animals.
Relaxation Any resting behaviour from sleeping to reclining, even though the animal is awake and no other behaviors are present this can still be described as relaxation behaviour.
The ability to assess or judge and score the way a dog behaves becomes an important part of identifying problems but more importantly to review the effectiveness of behaviour and training programmes.
Measuring Behaviour There are THREE basic ways to measure behaviour: 1. Frequency of occurrence of the behaviour 2. Strength or intensity of the behaviour 3. Duration of the behaviour
Measuring Frequency Number of occurrences each day/week/month Sometimes we measure the frequency of when the behaviour does not occur. Sometimes we express this as a ratio For example 5 per 100
Measuring Strength or Intensity Often measured on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10 Sometimes measured on a physical scale such as measuring a dog pulling on a lead.
Measuring Duration Timed on a stopwatch Sometimes timed on the non occurrence of the event, for example the dog did not bark for 20 minutes of the 2 hours it was left alone in the house
Measuring Aggression Definition of aggression = the intention to do harm Scored on a scale of 0-5
Level 5 Disabling bite Dog grips with whole mouth and adds a head shake Severe tearing of flesh Can be a killing bite depending on where on the body the dog aims the bite
Level 4 Full mouth bite and release No head shake Puncture wounds on both sides of the limb Linear tears to flesh
Level 3 Front tooth bite Dog pinches flesh causing severe bruising Usually no puncture wounds Grazed skin
Level 2 Open mouth bite Only one or two puncture marks No corresponding marks on other side of bitten limb
Level 1 Physical contact but no bite Jumps up and threatens Muzzle punch Body block
Measuring Fear Using the same levels of 0 5 We measure the dogs fear reaction Can be measured by noting the dogs recovery time after each exposure.
Level 5 Total panic Dog blindly tries to escape Sometimes extreme fight or flight Very slow recovery time No learning can take place
Level 4 Flight behaviour Escape to safety Thinking response to stimuli Some learning is possible Very slow recovery time Systematic desensitisation programme possible
Level 3 Freeze response (level five in a cat) Dog remains rooted to the spot Pupils dilated and often trembling present Slow recovery time Learning is possible Desensitisation programme possible
Level 2 Startle response Medium recovery time Learning is possible Habituation / desensitisation programme possible
Level 1 Startle response Rapid recovery Habituation programme usually effective
Behaviour Modelling How does a breed judge pick a winning dog in a variety class at a dog show?
Start with a standard or model of behaviour Assess each dog against your model Environmental considerations for behaviour modelling
Measuring Behaviour Part Two
Behaviour Testing Behaviour tests can tell you the dogs past history Specific behaviour tests are used to gather information about the dog Any behaviour that occurs can be tested for Dog to dog aggression Dog to people aggression Separation anxiety
Food Aggression Tests 1. Speed of consumption 2. Critical distance 3. Food preferences 4. Assessor hand 5. Tethered approach
Food Aggression Level 1 Dog eats faster when owner approaches Dogs eyes focussed on food
Food Aggression Level 2 Dog eats fast as owner approaches Head lowered across bowl Dog adopts freeze position Low warning growl
Food Aggression Level 3 Dog freezes as owner approaches Greater critical distance Loud growl and air snap
Food Aggression Level 4 Loud growl as owner approaches Teeth bared Reactive bite
Food Aggression Level 5 Dog leaves food to attack owner at greater distance Often multiple bites Usually no warning growl
Testing for Temperament Ivan Pavlov, like the ancient Greeks, graded dogs into four temperament types
Sanguine He noted that some dogs were very excitable (easily aroused), but quickly calmed down (good inhibition) these dogs were called sanguine.
Choleric Some dogs were very excitable, but had poor inhibition of their behaviour; these dogs were called choleric.
Phlegmatic Other dogs were not easily aroused and had good inhibition (phlegmatic)
Melancholic Some were not easily aroused and had poor inhibition (melancholic).
Temperament Types Pavlov stated that phlegmatic and sanguine dogs had strong' nervous systems, and choleric and melancholic dogs had less stable nervous systems
Breed Testing Many breeds have their own aptitude tests Rottweiller character tests Graham Mabutt German Shepherd League of GB working tests USA Doberman WAC tests
Shelter Testing Food tests Dog to dog tests Enforced separation tests Grooming tests Handling tests Vet exam tests
Types of Shelter Tests Sue Sternberg shelter tests Assess a pet (USA) Emily Weiss Safer tests (USA) John Rogerson Shelter tests (UK) Gwen Bailey Shelter testing (UK) SAB test (Socially Acceptable Behaviour (Europe)) UFAW predicting behaviour tests
Puppy Testing Susan Clothier wrote a puppy testing booklet. Carol Lea Benjamin also wrote one. William Campbell s book Behaviour Problems in Dogs includes a puppy temperament test Wendy Volhard developed one of the bestknown tests.
Drug Dog Testing Willingness to play with a person with a toy Good temperament with people Non threatening breed High desire to find a hidden toy High energy level Persistent