- Email: [email protected]
Thoughts of working dogs
Journal of Veterinary Behavior (2009) 4, 211
EDITORIAL
Thoughts of working dogs This issue contains the abstracts of the 2009 biennial meeting of one of the affiliating organizations for this journal, the International Working Dog Breeding Association (IWDBA:www.iwdba.org). Because of this, I asked the president of that organization, Dr. Eldin Leighton, to write a guest editorial about the meeting and the ideas it generated. This editorial (Leighton, 2009) is as good a review of the process of using quantitative genetics to develop breeding programs for purpose bred dogs as one is likely to find. It should be remembered that these techniques continue to be the basis for most purpose-bred canine breeding programs, whether these programs produce service dogs for the deaf, blind or mobility impaired or they produce patrol dogs for military and other government organizations. Also included in this issue are 3 papers on issues that come up time and again when one discusses dogs, their problems, and how best to understand and measure canine behaviors: medication, the role for thyroid levels and function in behavioral concerns and relationships between varied behavioral measures and potentially associated physiology. Use of medication continues to be of interest to those tasked with treating distressed patients, yet the need for databased papers is still compelling. Drs. Ibanez and Anzola (2009) focus on the use of combining multiple medications with behavioral modification for patients plagued with anxiety disorders. Dr. Carter and colleagues (2009) have written a paper that will be widely cited because it is the first time anyone has compared thyroid levels in dogs for those with and without behavioral diagnoses. The arguments in this paper provide compelling reasons for future research, especially given what appear to be cyclic vogues for treatment of non-specific behavioral signs with hormonal products.
1558-7878/$ -see front matter Ó 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2009.10.001
We return to working dogs with the paper by Dr. Batt and her colleagues (2009). Here they seek to examine whether brain lateralization affects reactivity, as measured by cortisol and behavioral testing, in dogs from a breeding program for purpose-bred dogs. Measures of handedness may provide one gauge of brain organization and so one might expect that more reactive dogs differ from less reactive ones. Do they? Read the paper and find out. And if the above papers and abstracts intrigue you, and you are not already a member of one of the journal’s affiliated organizations, please join, so that, as Dr. Leighton suggests, the conversation can continue with like-minded people you’ve not yet met. Enjoy!
Karen L. Overall Philadelphia, PA, USA
References Batt, L.S., Batt, M.S., Baguley, J.A., McGreevy, P.D., 2009. The relationships between motor lateralization, salivary cortisol concentrations and behavior in dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 216-222. Carter, G.C., Scott-Moncrieff, C., Luescher, A., Moore, G., 2009. Serum total thyroxine (TT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in dogs with behavior problems. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 230-236. Ibanez, M., Anzola, B., 2009. Use of fluoxetine, diazepam and behavior medication as therapy for treatment of anxiety-related disorders in dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 223-229. Leighton, E.A., 2009. Secrets for rroducing high-quality working dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 215.
EDITORIAL
Thoughts of working dogs This issue contains the abstracts of the 2009 biennial meeting of one of the affiliating organizations for this journal, the International Working Dog Breeding Association (IWDBA:www.iwdba.org). Because of this, I asked the president of that organization, Dr. Eldin Leighton, to write a guest editorial about the meeting and the ideas it generated. This editorial (Leighton, 2009) is as good a review of the process of using quantitative genetics to develop breeding programs for purpose bred dogs as one is likely to find. It should be remembered that these techniques continue to be the basis for most purpose-bred canine breeding programs, whether these programs produce service dogs for the deaf, blind or mobility impaired or they produce patrol dogs for military and other government organizations. Also included in this issue are 3 papers on issues that come up time and again when one discusses dogs, their problems, and how best to understand and measure canine behaviors: medication, the role for thyroid levels and function in behavioral concerns and relationships between varied behavioral measures and potentially associated physiology. Use of medication continues to be of interest to those tasked with treating distressed patients, yet the need for databased papers is still compelling. Drs. Ibanez and Anzola (2009) focus on the use of combining multiple medications with behavioral modification for patients plagued with anxiety disorders. Dr. Carter and colleagues (2009) have written a paper that will be widely cited because it is the first time anyone has compared thyroid levels in dogs for those with and without behavioral diagnoses. The arguments in this paper provide compelling reasons for future research, especially given what appear to be cyclic vogues for treatment of non-specific behavioral signs with hormonal products.
1558-7878/$ -see front matter Ó 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2009.10.001
We return to working dogs with the paper by Dr. Batt and her colleagues (2009). Here they seek to examine whether brain lateralization affects reactivity, as measured by cortisol and behavioral testing, in dogs from a breeding program for purpose-bred dogs. Measures of handedness may provide one gauge of brain organization and so one might expect that more reactive dogs differ from less reactive ones. Do they? Read the paper and find out. And if the above papers and abstracts intrigue you, and you are not already a member of one of the journal’s affiliated organizations, please join, so that, as Dr. Leighton suggests, the conversation can continue with like-minded people you’ve not yet met. Enjoy!
Karen L. Overall Philadelphia, PA, USA
References Batt, L.S., Batt, M.S., Baguley, J.A., McGreevy, P.D., 2009. The relationships between motor lateralization, salivary cortisol concentrations and behavior in dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 216-222. Carter, G.C., Scott-Moncrieff, C., Luescher, A., Moore, G., 2009. Serum total thyroxine (TT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in dogs with behavior problems. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 230-236. Ibanez, M., Anzola, B., 2009. Use of fluoxetine, diazepam and behavior medication as therapy for treatment of anxiety-related disorders in dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 223-229. Leighton, E.A., 2009. Secrets for rroducing high-quality working dogs. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 4(6), 215.