Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Exercise, both physical and mental is probably linked to the development of behaviour problems in dogs. A few correlations have been found between level of exercise and the occurrence of specific behaviour problems though this is not broadly studied. The effect of participation in different dog sports has not been studied to a large extent and therefore the purpose of this study was to evaluate if there were any connections between the everyday behaviour of the dog and the amount of training dogs received and/or type of activity. Owners of dogs that practiced agility, obedience or working dog trials were included in the study aswell as dogs primarily kept for companionship. Another goal was to investigate how and if the performance and everyday behaviour of dogs had changed during the last 10 to 20 years, according to dog owners who had long experience of specific types of dogs. For this study a questionnaire was created. The results did not show any correlations between the amount of training dogs receive every week and the everyday behaviour nor any clear links between type of dog sport and behaviour. Results showed that agility dogs (T=-2,75, P=0,03; N=59) and dogs that were mainly kept as companions (T=2,69, P=0,04; N=64) were more fearful than dogs participating in working dog trials according to owner reports. Moreover, dogs kept as companions were less excited and agitated than dogs in working dog trials (T=-2,70, P=0,04; N=70). Most dog owners did not experience behavioural changes in training over the last 10-20 years, and they believed that the breeding strategies today were successful as it resulted in dogs that performed well in training and were functional in everyday life. According to dog owners in all dog sport groups dogs were perceived to be more willing to train with dog owners today, were more explosive and stressed according to agility participants, had better focus according to obedience participants and better at switching between work and rest according to working dog trials participants. In everyday life most believed that no change have occurred.

27
6. Slutsats
Resultatet från arbetet visade inget samband mellan hur mycket en hund tränar i
veckan och graden av vardagsbeteendena som undersöktes. Det är möjligt att
individuella behov samt tid spenderad med ägaren är möjliga förklaringar till det
avsaknade sambandet. Hundar i gruppen sällskap uppgavs vara mer rädda än
hundar som tränas i bruks samt vara mindre uppjagade än hundar som tränas i
bruks som kan bero på rasskillnader eller vilka hundar som generellt väljs ut för
bruks och sällskap. Det beskrevs även att hundar som tränas i agility är mer rädda
än hundar som tränas i bruks. Potentiella förklaringar är rasskillnader,
individuella skillnader, hur hundarna tränas och vilka individer som representeras
i de olika hundsporterna samt hundar som endast hålls för sällskap.
Den allmänna uppfattningen om att hundar idag mer stressade på grund av avel
för prestation och arbetslust framkom inte av arbetets resultat förutom en liten
indikation hos hundarna i gruppen agility. Hundägare svarade att de upplever att
sin hund blir mindre rastlös vid mer träning och att hunden sover/vilar mer vid
mer träning samt att många inte upplever någon beteendeförändring i vardagen i
jämförelse med för mer än 10 år sedan. Flera respondenter upplevde att dagens
hundar har en ökad vilja att träna tillsammans med föraren och har lättare att
slappna av i vardagen. Nästan majoriteten av alla respondenter håller med om att
aveln på dagens hundar lyckas få fram individer som både presterar i träning och
fungerar i vardagen. Resultatet visar därför ingen tydlig förändring hos hundar
som tränas i agility, lydnad och bruks idag.