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Companion Animals

Companion Animals. Importance of Companion Animals. 60% of American families own pets Often regarded as another family member Serve as catalysts for human interactions. Role of Nonverbal Communication. Dogs and cats use postures, gestures, facial expressions and sounds in communication

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Companion Animals

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  1. Companion Animals

  2. Importance of Companion Animals • 60% of American families own pets • Often regarded as another family member • Serve as catalysts for human interactions

  3. Role of Nonverbal Communication • Dogs and cats use postures, gestures, facial expressions and sounds in communication • Owners interpret these nonverbal signals as expressions of affection • Pets provide only positive feedback (no criticism, lying or gossiping)

  4. Pet Numbers in the USA (1996) • Cats 59.0 million • Dogs 52.9 million • Birds 12.6 million • Fish 55.6 million • Horses 4.0 million • Rabbits 4.9 million • Hamsters 1.9 million

  5. Reasons for Popularity of Cats • Adapt well to totally indoor lifestyle • Do not require outdoor exercising • Easily housetrained • Do not annoy neighbors with barking or howling • Can be left alone for long periods of time • Relatively inexpensive to obtain and keep

  6. Demographics of Pet Ownership • Families with children more likely to own pets • 65% of pet owners have incomes above $25,000 • 76% of pet owners own their own homes

  7. Multiple Pet Ownership • Mean of 1.68 dogs per dog-owning household • Mean of 2.19 cats per cat-owning household

  8. Wild Animals as Pets • Not recommended • Babies appear cute and cuddly but adults are unpredictable and dangerous • Higher risk of zoonotic infections due to lack of approved vaccinations

  9. Economic Impact of Companion Animals • Pet foods • Dogs > $10.1 billion annually in USA • Cats > $2.0 billion annually in USA • Veterinary care • Dogs ~ $8.0 billion annually in USA • Cats ~ $4.0 billion annually in USA

  10. Pet-Related Industries • Veterinary medicine & surgery • Health care • Prescription medications • Shampoos and pesticides • Pet equipment • Collars, leashes, harnesses • Beds, blankets, sweaters • Toys

  11. Pet-Related Industries (Continued) • Training facilities and instructors • Grooming facilities and products • Boarding kennels • Cat and dog shows • Dog racing

  12. Pet-Related Industries (Continued) • Service dog organizations • Therapy dog organizations • Animal behavioral therapists

  13. Domestication of Dogs • Ancestors were Canis lupis (gray wolves) • Camp followers • Pups may have become playmates for children • Territorial nature may have led to use as camp guards • May have joined hunts for food • Earliest records of domestication were remains in Paleolithic caves dating ~ 12,000 B.C.

  14. Domestication of Dogs (continued) • Selection for desired traits has resulted in the development of various dog breeds • Hunters • some work by sight, some by scent • Retrievers • Guard dogs • Personal preferences for varying colors, sizes, body types, etc.

  15. Domestication of Cats • First records in Egypt ~ 4000 B.C. • African bush cat (Felis lybica) • Were trained to hunt with aristocrats and valued in control of rodents • Became objects of deification • Bast = Egyptian cat-headed goddess (also known as Pasht, Ubastet, and Bubatis)

  16. Domestication of Cats (continued) • Brought to Europe by Phoenician trading ships around 900 B.C. • In Middle Ages became associated with Satanism, witches and warlocks • Killing of cats during Dark Ages contributed to surge of rodents and spread of bubonic plague • Introduced to Americas by Europeans

  17. Ailurophobia • An abnormal fear of cats • Cats seem to have a mystic persona which may contribute to the polarity of feelings about cats

  18. Purebred Dog Registries • In the United States: • American Kennel Club • United Kennel Club • States Kennel Club • Over 1.5 million new dogs registered annually within the United States • Estimated to be over 400 breeds of dogs recognized world-wide

  19. American Kennel Club • Established in 1884 • Nonprofit organization for advancement of purebred dogs • Maintains stud book and breed registrations • Dog breeds are classified into seven categories and a miscellaneous group • Currently 147 breeds recognized by AKC

  20. Sporting dogs Hounds Working dogs Terriers Toy breeds Nonsporting dogs Herding dogs Miscellaneous group AKC Dog Breed Groups

  21. Brittany Pointers (many types) Retrievers (many types) Setters (English, Gordon, Irish) Spaniels (many types) Vizsla Weimaraner Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Examples of AKC Sporting Dogs

  22. Afghan Basenji Beagle Black and Tan Coonhound Borzoi Dachshund Foxhound Greyhound Harrier Irish wolfhound Norwegian elkhound Otterhound Pharaoh hound Saluki Whippet Examples of AKC Hound Group

  23. Akita Alaskan malamute Bernese Mountain dog Boxer Doberman pinscher Giant Schnauzer Great Dane Great Pyrenees Komodor Kuvasz Mastiff Newfoundland Rottweiler Saint Bernard Samoyed Siberian Husky Examples of AKC Working Dog Group

  24. Airedale terrier American Staffordshire Australian terrier Bedlington terrier Bull terrier Cairn terrier Dandie Dinmont Fox terriers Irish terrier Jack Russell terrier Manchester Miniature schnauzer Norfolk terrier Norwich terrier Soft-coated Wheaton West Highland White Examples of AKC Terrier Group

  25. Affenpinscher Brussels Griffon Chihuahua Chinese crested English toy spaniel Italian greyhound Japanese chin Maltese Miniature pinscher Papillon Pekingese Pomeranian Pug Shih tzu Silky terrier Yorkshire terrier Examples of AKC Toy Breeds

  26. American Eskimo Bichon Frise Boston terrier Bulldog Chinese Shar-pei Chow chow Dalmatian Finnish Spitz French bulldog Keeshond Lhasa Apso Lowchen Poodle Schipperke Shiba Inu Tibetan spaniel Examples of AKC Nonsporting Breeds

  27. Australian cattle dog Australian shepherd Bearded collie Belgian malinois Belgian sheepdog Belgian tervuren Border collie Bouviers des Flandres Briard Canaan dog Collie German shepherd dog Old English sheepdog Puli Shetland sheepdog Welsh corgis Examples of AKC Herding Breeds

  28. Examples of AKC Miscellaneous Breeds • Polish Lowland Sheepdog • Plott Hound • Spinoni Italiani Includes breeds with active enthusiasts but too few numbers for inclusion in the regular AKC stud book

  29. AKC Sanctioned Shows • Dog shows (conformation) • Obedience trials • Agility trials • Tracking tests • Field trials • Working trials • Herding trials

  30. Feline Registries in the U.S.A. • American Cat Fancier’s Association • American Cat Association • Cat Fancier’s Association, Inc. • Cat Fancier’s Federation • Crown Cat Fancier’s Federation, Inc. • National Cat Fancier’s Association, Inc. • United Cat Federation

  31. Classifications of Cat Breeds • Natural breeds • Human-developed breeds • Spontaneous mutations

  32. Examples of Natural Cat Breeds • Persian • Russian Blue • Turkish Angora

  33. Examples of Human-Developed Cat Breeds • Exotic Shorthair • Bombay

  34. Examples of Cat Breeds Arising from Spontaneous Mutations • Manx • Scottish Fold

  35. Feline Body Types • Foreign (oriental) • Slim, lithe, elegant fine-boned • Siamese • Cobby • Heavy, short-legged, compact broad-chested • American shorthair, Burmese, Persian • Moderate (modified) • Intermediate • Russian Blue, Abbysian

  36. Feline Coat Types • Hairless • Sphinx • Shorthair • Siamese, Bombay, Burmese, Chartreux, Manx, Russian Blue, American and British Shorthair • Wirehair • American Wirehair

  37. Feline Coat Types (continued) • Curly coat • Cornish Rex, Devon Rex • Longhair coat • Persians, Turkish Angora, Somali, Maine Coon cat, Ragdoll, Himalayan, Birman, Balinese

  38. Contributions of Companion Animals to Humans • Companionship to all ages • Education of children • Source of self-esteem and self-expression • Reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure • Promote activity and interaction with others • Therapy dogs (nursing homes, hospitals, group homes, prisons)

  39. Contributions of Companion Animals to Humans (continued) • Guard homes and businesses • Search and rescue operations • Narcotic and other scent work • Tracking • Hunting and retrieving • Herding livestock • Service dogs for handicapped

  40. Therapy and Service Dogs • Nursing home visitation programs • Guide dogs for visually handicapped • The Seeing Eye Inc. and others • Breeds used include Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds • Dogs for the Deaf, Paws with a Cause • Delta Society Pet Partners Program • Friend for Folks Program (Oklahoma Correctional Facility + OK State CVM)

  41. Human-Companion Animal Bond • Symbiotic (mutually beneficial) • Social animals thrive with hierarchy and close interaction with their pack leader • Companion animals provide an object for nurturing, care, attention, love and return what appears to be an unconditional love

  42. Canine Behavior • Remember that dogs descended from packs • Excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing were required in locating food • Refined sense of touch was used in signaling between pack members --- dogs lick their owners as member of their pack • Separation anxiety if left alone • Territorial urine marking

  43. Signs of Dominance in Dogs • Direct eye contact • Ears held erect and alert • Tail held high • Legs braced with forward lean • Muscles taut and ready for action

  44. Signs of Submission in Dogs • Flattening of ears • Lying down and rolling over on back • Tucking of tail • Raising leg • Avoiding eye contact

  45. Dog Body Language (continued) • Play-bow indicates a desire to interact as in games of chase • Wagging tail indicates friendliness and submission

  46. Feline Body Language • Flicking of tail indicates displeasure • When knocked on back will rake opponent with claws • Add vocalization • When angry flatten ears, arch back, hold tail straight out, curl lips, spit and snarl • When frightened pupils dilate, hairs stand erect and back arches

  47. Feline Body Language (continued) • Use paws to show affection • Pats • Kneading • Purrs • Maybe from vibrations of major blood vessels • Used to express emotions

  48. Games Cats Play • Play-fighting • Prey-pouncing • Bird-swatting • Fish-scooping

  49. Feline Behavior (continued) • Territories of free roaming cats up to 3 acres for a female and 30 acres for male • Territorial disputes if crowded • Considered a nonsocial species, do not live in groups as adults • Nocturnal by nature

  50. Training of Companion Animals • Early socialization important • “Puppy classes” • Owner should establish “pack leader” status • Train dogs to sit quietly in a group • Train dogs to walk at “heel position” • Teach dogs “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “come” • Retrieving games expend energy and reinforce owner’s authority

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