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Working dogs and wolf conservation: Livestock Guarding Dogs in Finnish and Estonian context
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Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Vol 6, No 1, January/February 2011
Labrador retrievers and German shepherds were in the slowest 25 dogs than the fastest, and more Belgian malinois were in the fastest 25 dogs than were in the slowest. Two basic styles of problem-solving behavior emerged: fast problem solving, thoughtful dogs, and slow problem solving, reactive dogs. Training facility of origin significantly affected test outcome. The mode in which these dogs use ‘showing’ or demonstration behaviors differs significantly from that reported in the literature for pet dogs, suggesting that training and exposure play a role in these responses, and for how dogs learn and respond to novel testing. The findings of this study have important implications for the use and training of detection dogs. Key words: canine; cognitive testing; detection dogs; problem solving behavior
WORKING DOGS AND WOLF CONSERVATION: LIVESTOCK GUARDING DOGS IN FINNISH AND ESTONIAN CONTEXT T. Otstavel*, H. Saloniemi University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Management and Welfare, Koetilantie 7 (P.O. Box 57), 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Phone: 1358505462365 Livestock Guarding Dogs (LGD) have been used for millennia to protect domestic animals against large carnivore predation. LGDs work by staying with the livestock and driving away intruders, with rarely any need for physical conflict. Research was initiated in the late 1970s by several organizations to evaluate the use of guarding dogs to protect livestock as large carnivores returned to their original habitats causing conflicts of interests between stakeholders. Developing damage preventive methods and producing information can be a basis for consensus in large carnivore management. In the long term, the management policy can be of importance for both education and ecotourism integrated to the local communities’ well-being. At its best, the use of LGD increases the welfare of livestock and large carnivores, and decreases the citizens’ and farmers’ concerns about their livelihood and security. The aim of the study was to explore the conditions and suitability of using LGD as working dogs in Finland and Estonia, areas of no historic LGD tradition. This study is a part of a longer term research started in 2006. The methods of the study included semi-structured interviews, on-site visits to Finnish and Estonian farms, as well as analysis to compare differences and similarities between the countries wildlife management models, especially large carnivore damage prevention. The results of the study were that between these two culturally and geographically closely-spaced EU-countries there were differences in institutional frameworks, practical issues and demographic structures of the wildlife. In Finland, damage compensation has been used
for decades. In Estonia, the first damage compensations were paid in 2009 and the emphasis is on preventive measures. Estonia also differs from Finland because of the amount of severe damage done to crops by wild boar. Damages caused by wild boar are not, however, on the list of compensation. Key words: working dogs; Livestock Guarding Dogs; LGD; wolf conservation; wild boar
MICROSATELLITE ANALYSIS OF X AND Y GONOSOME VARIABILITY IN THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN AND SAARLOOS WOLFDOG BREEDS D. Cilova1,*, P. Vejl1, N. Sebkova2, M. Castkova1, P. Jurkovicova1, V. Kadlecova1 1 Department of Genetics and Breeding, University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources 2 Department of Husbandry and Ethology of Animals, Kamycka 129, 16521, Prague 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Phone: 1420-22438-2554 Early breeding of Czechoslovak wolfdogs started in the end of the 1950s. In the beginning, breeding between wolves and German shepherd dogs was carried out as a scientific experiment with the aim to improve the health state, capability and endurance of the dogs, and these hybrids were used as border guards. Breeding of Saarloos wolfdogs began earlier, in the 1930s. Two female wolves were crossed with German shepherds who had a mild nature. We analyzed a total of 117 Czechoslovakian wolfdog breed representatives and 25 Saarloos wolfdog individuals. Several Eurasian wolves and F1 generation hybrids of these wolves were also evaluated. In the current Czechoslovakian wolfdog population, there are two haplotypes of Y gonosome – the dog’s and the wolf’s. Only one wolf male was the donor of wolf gonosome Y for all of Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. German shepherds were donors of Y gonosomes in Saarloos wolfdogs. DNA was isolated from buccal cells. Microsatellite loci MS34A, MS34B, MS41A and MS41B were used to evaluate polymorphisms of the Y gonosome. We clearly identified the haplotype of the wolf gonosome Y in Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. Paternity was not confirmed in 4 individuals of Czechoslovakian wolfdog males. The wolf Y chromosome haplotype was found in 3 individuals of Saarloos wolfdog males. This result also did not match the pedigree. Microsatellite loci FH2548, FH2584, FH2985 and FH3027 were used to study X gonosome polymorphisms. The inbreeding coefficient was determined by Wright’s formula in all of Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. We demonstrated that the variability of SSR alleles depends on the value of Wright’s inbreeding coefficient. The c2 tests (P 5 0.95) revealed that Czechoslovakian wolfdog males
Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Vol 6, No 1, January/February 2011
Labrador retrievers and German shepherds were in the slowest 25 dogs than the fastest, and more Belgian malinois were in the fastest 25 dogs than were in the slowest. Two basic styles of problem-solving behavior emerged: fast problem solving, thoughtful dogs, and slow problem solving, reactive dogs. Training facility of origin significantly affected test outcome. The mode in which these dogs use ‘showing’ or demonstration behaviors differs significantly from that reported in the literature for pet dogs, suggesting that training and exposure play a role in these responses, and for how dogs learn and respond to novel testing. The findings of this study have important implications for the use and training of detection dogs. Key words: canine; cognitive testing; detection dogs; problem solving behavior
WORKING DOGS AND WOLF CONSERVATION: LIVESTOCK GUARDING DOGS IN FINNISH AND ESTONIAN CONTEXT T. Otstavel*, H. Saloniemi University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Management and Welfare, Koetilantie 7 (P.O. Box 57), 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Phone: 1358505462365 Livestock Guarding Dogs (LGD) have been used for millennia to protect domestic animals against large carnivore predation. LGDs work by staying with the livestock and driving away intruders, with rarely any need for physical conflict. Research was initiated in the late 1970s by several organizations to evaluate the use of guarding dogs to protect livestock as large carnivores returned to their original habitats causing conflicts of interests between stakeholders. Developing damage preventive methods and producing information can be a basis for consensus in large carnivore management. In the long term, the management policy can be of importance for both education and ecotourism integrated to the local communities’ well-being. At its best, the use of LGD increases the welfare of livestock and large carnivores, and decreases the citizens’ and farmers’ concerns about their livelihood and security. The aim of the study was to explore the conditions and suitability of using LGD as working dogs in Finland and Estonia, areas of no historic LGD tradition. This study is a part of a longer term research started in 2006. The methods of the study included semi-structured interviews, on-site visits to Finnish and Estonian farms, as well as analysis to compare differences and similarities between the countries wildlife management models, especially large carnivore damage prevention. The results of the study were that between these two culturally and geographically closely-spaced EU-countries there were differences in institutional frameworks, practical issues and demographic structures of the wildlife. In Finland, damage compensation has been used
for decades. In Estonia, the first damage compensations were paid in 2009 and the emphasis is on preventive measures. Estonia also differs from Finland because of the amount of severe damage done to crops by wild boar. Damages caused by wild boar are not, however, on the list of compensation. Key words: working dogs; Livestock Guarding Dogs; LGD; wolf conservation; wild boar
MICROSATELLITE ANALYSIS OF X AND Y GONOSOME VARIABILITY IN THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN AND SAARLOOS WOLFDOG BREEDS D. Cilova1,*, P. Vejl1, N. Sebkova2, M. Castkova1, P. Jurkovicova1, V. Kadlecova1 1 Department of Genetics and Breeding, University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources 2 Department of Husbandry and Ethology of Animals, Kamycka 129, 16521, Prague 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Phone: 1420-22438-2554 Early breeding of Czechoslovak wolfdogs started in the end of the 1950s. In the beginning, breeding between wolves and German shepherd dogs was carried out as a scientific experiment with the aim to improve the health state, capability and endurance of the dogs, and these hybrids were used as border guards. Breeding of Saarloos wolfdogs began earlier, in the 1930s. Two female wolves were crossed with German shepherds who had a mild nature. We analyzed a total of 117 Czechoslovakian wolfdog breed representatives and 25 Saarloos wolfdog individuals. Several Eurasian wolves and F1 generation hybrids of these wolves were also evaluated. In the current Czechoslovakian wolfdog population, there are two haplotypes of Y gonosome – the dog’s and the wolf’s. Only one wolf male was the donor of wolf gonosome Y for all of Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. German shepherds were donors of Y gonosomes in Saarloos wolfdogs. DNA was isolated from buccal cells. Microsatellite loci MS34A, MS34B, MS41A and MS41B were used to evaluate polymorphisms of the Y gonosome. We clearly identified the haplotype of the wolf gonosome Y in Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. Paternity was not confirmed in 4 individuals of Czechoslovakian wolfdog males. The wolf Y chromosome haplotype was found in 3 individuals of Saarloos wolfdog males. This result also did not match the pedigree. Microsatellite loci FH2548, FH2584, FH2985 and FH3027 were used to study X gonosome polymorphisms. The inbreeding coefficient was determined by Wright’s formula in all of Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. We demonstrated that the variability of SSR alleles depends on the value of Wright’s inbreeding coefficient. The c2 tests (P 5 0.95) revealed that Czechoslovakian wolfdog males