Barbara Woodhouse was a British dog trainer who had her own television show in the 1980s – Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way.
When his girlfriend Misty came to stay, I took Sox and Misty to Christchurch’s red zone for off-lead time.
In this video, the dogs run and play. Greyhounds love to run. In this video, both dogs are free to stop, change direction, dodge and weave as they see fit, and stop when they are ready. This greatly reduces the risk of injury and supports enrichment. It allows them to make choices, something that behaviourists call ‘agency.’
The definition of “to run” is “to move along, faster than walking.” The dogs choose to do this and for how often.
The definition of “to race” is “a competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course.”
Most dogs love to have a run and play, such as I explain in my post There’s a technical term for almost anything – the zoomie. To truly love to race, a sentient being, be it human or animal, must be able to opt into competition of their own free will, accept the risks associated with the race, and take pleasure in it.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and canine fitness, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Posted in animal welfare, dog breeds, dog care, Dogs
Tagged agency, animal welfare, free will, greyhound racing, Greyhound Racing NZ, human construct, love to run, racing, winston-peters
It’s a common belief that purebred dogs are more prone to disease than mixed-breed dogs, but a new study led by researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has busted this myth.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers In Veterinary Science, found that while certain dog breeds are prone to specific diseases, purebred and mixed-breed dogs are mostly equal when it comes to overall frequency of health condition diagnoses.
“There are several well-known diseases that frequently occur in specific dog breeds,” said Dr. Kate Creevy, chief veterinary officer of the Dog Aging Project and a professor in the VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “This has helped perpetuate the misconception that all purebred dogs are more prone to disease, but that is not the case.”
The study — which surveyed the owners of more than 27,000 companion dogs — also found that some of the most common diagnoses, like ear infections or osteoarthritis, occur in both purebreds and mixed-breed dogs.
According to the study, 25 breeds make up about 60% of the purebred dog population within the Dog Aging Project. In order of popularity, those breeds are:
Within these 25 breeds, a total of 53 unique medical conditions make up the top owner-reported medical conditions.
“The medical conditions reported by owners of purebred dogs varied considerably,” Creevy said. “However, some conditions appeared frequently in the top 10 reported health conditions by breed.”
Across the 25 most popular breeds, those 10 conditions were:
For mixed-breed dogs, the most common reported conditions were highly similar, with cataracts and heart murmur being replaced by torn/broken toenail and chocolate toxicity.
Some conditions, like dental calculus and osteoarthritis, appeared with roughly the same frequency in both purebred and mixed-breed dogs. Other conditions were more common in one than the other; extracted teeth and dog bites were more common in purebreds, versus ear infections in mixed-breed dogs.
“Out of the 53 medical conditions that owners reported, 26 did not differ significantly between mixed-breed and purebred dogs,” Creevy said.
Ultimately, one of the most important findings from the study is that dog breed is only one aspect of pet health to consider when creating a pet’s care plan or researching what kind of dog to adopt.
“People should consider many factors when choosing a dog, including environment, lifestyle, social interactions and physical activity that will be available to the dog,” Creevy said. “Planning for both preventive veterinary care and medical care as the dog ages is also prudent. Dog owners should also talk with their primary care veterinarians about the kinds of medical problems to which their new dog might be particularly prone based on breed, size, sex, etc.”
As the study also showed, some of the most common reasons owners take their dogs to the vet have little or nothing to do with breed.
“Dental disease, allergies and osteoarthritis are among the most common conditions for all dogs,” Creevy said. “Owners should work with their primary care veterinarians on a plan to manage dental health. Regular exercise and maintaining lean body weight may help delay, prevent or lessen the impact of osteoarthritis.”
Though the study is already one of the largest cross-sectional studies of canine health, researchers at the Dog Aging Project are far from done examining its findings.
“We were surprised by the number of owners who reported that their dogs had experienced a bite from another dog,” Creevy said. “More investigation is needed to determine what this means and what particular factors might put an individual dog at risk.”
The DAP is a collaborative, community scientist-driven data-gathering research project that enrolls companion dogs from all backgrounds to study the effects of aging and gain a better understanding of what contributes to a long and healthy life for a dog.
The DAP continues to accept dogs of all breeds into the project. To date, more than 50,000 dogs have been enrolled.
Many of their research projects have led to translational studies that inform not only dog health, but also human health. To enroll your dog, or learn more, visit dogagingproject.org.
Source: Texas A&M University
Posted in dog breeds, Dogs, research
Tagged Dog Aging Project, genetics, health problems, mixed breeds, purebred
The dogs of my life have brought me great joy, endless love, and moments of intense heartache.
Our dogs can also be the source of great surprise, which was the case yesterday evening when Sox decided to eat a couple of screws.
Screws. You heard right. Small, about 1 cm, screws that I had removed from a massage table that I was repairing. They looked a little like this:
Sox has never shown any interest in eating inedible things. In fact, with his inflammatory bowel disease, it is often more of a struggle to get him to eat consistently. But last night Sox was super hungry. He finally finished his breakfast in the very late afternoon and wanted more food, so I fed him his dinner and filled up his snacking dish. A short time later as I was cooking my dinner, I heard a crunching sound like he was eating biscuits. I looked up just in time to a screw lapped up off the floor, briefly chewed, and swallowed.
Oh my God. I counted the screws, two were missing. Time to turn off the stove and get to the After Hours Vet. Luckily, he had just eaten a lot of food and so there was a buffer in his system because the best way to get the screws out of his body was for them to go out the way they came in. After dosing Sox with an emetic, the vet staff watched as he threw everything up (turkey, kibble, pumpkin, rolled oats and two screws). The screws were cleaned up and brought out to me in the waiting room in a biohazard bag – in perfect, reusable, condition.
I was able to take Sox home; he had a rough night because he was still nauseous and wanted outside to eat grass. Of course, we had the inevitable flare of his IBD.
This incident is a good reminder and lesson:
I have a subdued Sox today. I’d love to say he was ashamed at his behaviour, but of course we know that dogs live in the moment and rarely make a connection between cause and effect. It’s my job to be extra diligent to avoid any future cases of ‘ingestion of a foreign body.’
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and canine fitness, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Stanley Coren is a well-known psychology professor and writer about the intelligence and mental abilities of dogs
New research from the University of Liverpool shows that dog owners think many important changes in their older pets are “just old age,” when actually they are signs of serious health problems.
The researchers surveyed more than 600 dog owners and more than 300 veterinary professionals across the UK. Dog owners were asked if they had noticed any of a list of 48 different clinical signs in their older dogs and how urgently they thought they should seek veterinary advice when they noticed them.
The research team identified that dog owners regularly attributed potentially serious changes in older dogs to normal aging, and thus may not take them to see a vet.
The majority of owners believed a “healthy” senior dog (seven years plus) should go to the vet once a year, whereas veterinary professionals most commonly advised every six months.
A minority (14%) of owners would take the dog only “if they got sick,” but almost all (98%) of veterinary professionals would not advise this strategy. Sixteen percent of owners of dogs of all ages had not had any contact with their veterinary practice in the previous year.
Health checks often occur during vaccination appointments, and 92% of veterinary professionals believed that senior dogs should receive yearly vaccinations; however, 28% of owners’ dogs of all ages had not been vaccinated in the previous year. In fact, a third of these owners did not believe that older dogs need vaccinations.
Dog owners who stated that their dog had experienced a clinical sign typically reported less urgency to seek veterinary care than owners whose dog had never experienced it and responded to a hypothetical question asking what they would do if they noticed this sign in their dog.
The majority of veterinary professionals (85–100%) thought that it was moderately to extremely important for owners of senior dogs to seek veterinary advice for all 15 of the most common clinical signs. The three most common clinical signs reported by owners in their older dogs were slowing down on walks (57%), dental tartar (53%), and being stiff on rising (50%).
However, fewer than 70% of owners would seek veterinary care for their dog within a week for dental issues (bad breath and tartar) or musculoskeletal issues (problems with stairs/jumping, slowing down on walks, and stiff on rising).
Veterinary professionals reported that they believed owners commonly associated sleeping all the time, slowing down on walks, being stiff on rising, and the presence of dental tartar with old age rather than potential illness. Owners’ opinions were broadly in line with veterinary professionals’ perceptions of them. For example, 78% of owners believed slowing down on walks was a normal part of the aging process and would not take their dog to the vet for and, and 77% for sleeping all the time.
Study co-author Professor Carri Westgarth said, “Perceptions of dog owners and veterinary professionals can influence the preventive health care and treatment provided to dogs, especially at the senior life stage, when chronic diseases become more common. The differences in opinion highlighted by our survey suggest that new educational initiatives and more effective communication are required.”
Findings from this study have been used to support the design of a new resource that can facilitate communication between owners and veterinary professionals. A checklist of common missed clinical signs for use pre-veterinary appointments would be supported by both owners and veterinary professionals surveyed in the current study.
The BSAVA PetSavers Aging Canine Toolkit (ACT) leaflet and poster are currently in use in first-opinion practice, and feedback is being collected to measure the toolkit’s impact on owners, veterinary professionals, and senior dogs.
Dr. Sarah Williams from BSAVA PetSavers said, “Screening tools and toolkits have the potential to increase owner understanding and engagement with veterinary care, and through repeated application over time and implementation of necessary interventions, improve patient welfare and health span.”
The work is published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Source: Phys.org
Posted in dog care, Dogs, research
Tagged ageing dogs, aging dogs, BSAVA, University of Liverpool
Not only are dogs man’s best friend, they also offer insight into how people decline cognitively. A new study published in GeroScience is revealing fascinating parallels between the aging canine mind and human cognitive aging.
A team of researchers from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest set out to comprehensively analyze age-related changes in dog cognition. They administered a battery of cognitive tests to 129 pet dogs ranging in age from nearly 3 to almost 15 years old. The tests assessed abilities like problem solving, learning, memory, and attention.
Scientists uncovered a hierarchical structure in canine cognition, with performance across different tests clustering into two main domains: individual problem solving and learning. Individual problem solving involved tasks where dogs had to independently figure out how to obtain hidden food rewards. The learning domain comprised tests where dogs needed to make associations, such as between making eye contact with a person and receiving a treat.
These two cognitive domains were themselves linked, suggesting an overarching general intelligence factor in dogs akin to the “g” factor in humans. This canine “g” was validated by its correlation with performance on separate tests of discrimination and reversal learning (which tap abilities like behavioral flexibility) as well as with personality traits like neophilia (love of novelty) and exploration. Dogs with higher canine “g” were quicker learners and more flexible thinkers.
“The cognitive and socio-cognitive performance of dogs is a highly popular topic in scientific literature, yet most studies are comparative, focusing on how well dogs perform as a species,” says lead study author Borbála Turcsán, from Eötvös Loránd University, in a media release. “Surprisingly, these studies have largely overlooked the individual differences in specific skills and the reasons behind them. As a result, we know very little about how dogs’ cognitive abilities are structured.”
So what happens to doggy brainpower with age? Researchers found three distinct age-related processes. Mirroring findings in humans, one was a global effect acting on the general intelligence factor — older dogs tended to have lower canine “g” scores overall. Two other effects selectively impacted memory and learning.
Not all senior dogs showed the same degree of cognitive decline. The study identified health status as a key factor. The negative relationship between age and canine “g” was much stronger in dogs with more health issues, while dogs in good health showed little to no association between age and general cognitive performance. This parallels findings in humans, where conditions that impact overall health, like cardiovascular disease, can accelerate cognitive aging.
Looking at changes within individual dogs over time, the researchers found the rate of cognitive aging depended on baseline g scores and age. Younger dogs with lower starting g scores tended to show more improvement over the years, likely reflecting their greater capacity for cognitive growth. In contrast, older dogs and those with higher baseline scores had less room for gains, exhibiting more decline on average.
Another factor that emerged as important was the dogs’ communication scores — a measure of their attentiveness and responsiveness to human gestures and commands. More communicative dogs experienced steeper cognitive decline over time. Researchers suggest this may reflect a greater tendency of these socially attuned dogs to rely on human cues rather than independently problem-solving, which could impact their cognitive performance as they age.
“This new research highlights intriguing parallels between human and canine aging, further strengthening the argument that dogs serve as an excellent model species for aging research,” explains study author Enikő Kubinyi, leader of the MTA-ELTE Companion Animal Research Group and the Senior Family Dog Program. “Moreover, our findings support the existence of the ‘canine g factor’, suggesting that dogs can also help in understanding the evolution and background of human intelligence.”
As one of the most popular pet species and one that shares our home environments, dogs offer a unique window into how lifestyle factors may shape cognitive aging. They are also more practical for longitudinal studies spanning their shorter lifespans. At the same time, interventions to support healthy cognitive aging in pet dogs could have immediate benefits for their quality of life and longevity.
Just as the old adage goes, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks — but perhaps in time, science will uncover ways to help keep senior minds spry, whether covered in fur or bare-skinned.
Source: Braintomorrow.com
Posted in Dogs
Note from DoggyMom: The manufacture and marketing of pet food has to be one of the most confusion and contentious issues for pet owners to understand. Streamlining and efficiency are hard to argue against. But, AAFCO (Association of American Food Control Officials) has raised concerns that state programs actually assist the FDA by reviewing pet labels and marketing claims.
Who is right? The FDA would likely need significant more resources to carry out the pet food regulation tasks and streamlining does not necessarily mean the most effective regulation system for the end user. Will the proposed system be a rubber stamp for pet food manufacturers?
Time will tell as this legislation moves through Congress.
The Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024 (PURR Act) proposes to modernize and streamline how pet food and treats are regulated. The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 7380, introduced on Feb. 15, proposes to give the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory authority over the labeling and ingredient review process for dog and cat food and treats. The current system allows individual states to regulate ingredient and label approval.
Representatives Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Josh Harder (D-Calif.) and Steve Womack (R-Ark.) co-sponsored the bill.
“Pet food makers produce nearly 10 million tons of food annually and are crucial to American agriculture. Costly and outdated regulations have made it difficult for pet food manufacturers nationwide to invest in research and development for new and improved products,” LaTurner said. “I am proud to introduce the bipartisan PURR Act to eliminate red tape and allow pet food makers to deliver the best nutritional outcomes for our dogs and cats.”
Womack added, “Pet food manufacturers deal with a confusing, costly and conflicting dual regulatory system that hasn’t been updated in nearly 100 years. The PURR Act would streamline the outdated system by granting sole authority to the FDA to regulate the labeling and marketing of pet food while eliminating the state-by-state regulatory patchwork.”
The bill proposes centralized federal regulatory oversight by the FDA to replace the current, inconsistent state-by-state interpretations of ingredient and pet food label approvals. The legislation calls for new ingredient review and approval timelines for the FDA, which would be overseen by the US Congress.
“The PURR Act includes necessary reforms to streamline and update pet food regulations in the United States,” Cuellar said. “I am pleased to cosponsor this bipartisan bill that will encourage innovation among pet food manufacturers while protecting the health and wellbeing of our pets.”
As an advocate for the pet food industry, the Pet Food Institute (PFI) has long lobbied for a more modernized approach to pet food regulation. PFI issued its support for the proposed legislation.
“Dog and cat owners not only want to ensure the same high-quality and safe pet foods they trust to nourish their beloved dogs and cats but expect the products to reflect the latest in nutritional science and ingredient innovation,” said Dana Brooks, president and chief executive officer of PFI. “To continue delivering on that commitment, we are supporting federal legislation that would replace the current inefficient patchwork approach between states and the federal government with consistent national standards that are predictable, clearly defined, and encourage innovation and speed to market.”
Under the new system, label and ingredient approvals would be assigned to the FDA, while state departments of agriculture and other state agencies would still oversee quality inspections and product registrations. The result would be a system for pet food regulation that more closely mirrors that of human food.
“Pet owners agree on the need for an uninterrupted supply of safe, high-quality and innovative pet products, and now is the time for pet food regulations to be streamlined to better meet the needs of pets and pet owners in the 21st century and beyond,” Brooks said.
Source: Petfoodprocessing.net
Posted in dog care, dog nutrition and labelling, Dogs
Tagged AAFCO, FDA, pet food, pet food regulation
Mark Twain (the pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens) was an American author and humorist who lived from November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910.
Dallas Mavericks assistant athletic trainer Heather Mau has noticed a trend of players grabbing extra breakfast. It’s not that their appetite has grown, but they need the extra food to lure in their favorite coworker.
Bailey, a two-year old mini Bernedoodle, is the team’s emotional support animal — the only one known to exist among NBA teams. She was “hired” in April of 2022 for a job that requires her to be her adorable self and get spoiled by professional basketball players.
While Mau is proud to say the Mavericks are the first NBA team to do this, she hopes to inspire other organizations to get emotional support animals. She said that even with the team’s busy schedule, having Bailey has added a lot of benefits.
“We are trying to be progressive when it comes to that as an organization,” Mau said. “Being the first to have an emotional support animal, and really putting our mental health — players, staff and coaches’ mental health — in the forefront and the focus on what we do.”
Naturally, of course, the team loves to spoil her.
“Dwight Powell, Tim Hardaway, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber are usually the ones that fall victim in that category,” Mau told CBS Sports. “But there are a few staff members who spoil her even more than the players.”
Head coach Jason Kidd and other Mavericks higher-ups approved the decision to get Bailey, and Mau couldn’t volunteer fast enough to take care of her full-time.
“I like to say I quite frankly tricked everybody here to get me a dog,” Mau joked. “She is awesome. She brings a lot of light not only into my life but a lot of light into the building.”
Mau is Bailey’s mom and the players are her “uncles.” The cuddly staffer has a busy schedule because she attends all practices, home games, shoot arounds and treatments with Mau. Fortunately, she gets plenty of treats to help her maintain her energy.
“This dog is too smart sometimes,” Mau said. “She doesn’t like to eat all her breakfast at home before we leave for work because she knows she is going to go to work and have more breakfast.”
Players do not apologize for such behavior.
“Do I feed Bailey too much? I don’t think so,” Green told The Dallas Morning News. “She does a lot for the team. She’s one of our teammates. She’s always there for me, so I bring extra breakfast every morning.”
Sure, Bailey sometimes gets the zoomies and runs around the entire facility going “absolutely bananas.” And, yes, she occasionally forgets she is not supposed to play with her mom’s equipment, but she brings a lot of joy to everyone in the organization.
“That’s what Bailey brings, something different but also happiness,” Kidd told WFAA.
She stays at home for road games but still shares her support for her uncles on her Instagram account, which her mom finally let her get in December.
Bailey gets lots of cuddles from the team, an endless amount of kisses, and Powell has gone as far as wearing matching outfits with her. In December, she had a birthday party and her favorite uncles did not miss out.
The San Francisco 49ers appear to be the only other professional sports organization doing something similar. They have Zoe, an adorable French bulldog who has captured the hearts of the entire roster. She had a brother, Rookie, but he passed away last year. Zoe belongs to the team’s director of player engagement, but others in the organization also help take care of her.
Her instagram is filled with photos with her teammates proudly posing with her.
Bailey and Zoe don’t just make workdays more fun, mental health professionals agree that animals have real mood-boosting benefits.
Ed Chavez, mental performance clinician for the 49ers, thinks every team should consider adding a pet to their roster.
“I’m a huge advocate for having therapy dogs. Studies have shown that they reduce stress, anxiety and depression,” Chavez said. “Having them around is so beneficial to our mental health. When interacting with dogs, it lowers stress hormones and it releases calming and feeling good biochemicals in the brain. They generally make us feel better.”
Source: CBS Sports
Posted in Dogs, special dogs and awards
Tagged basketball, Dallas Mavericks, emotional support dog, NBA, professional sports, therapy dog
DoggyMom.com 