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Author Gazit, I.; Goldblatt, A.; Terkel, J.
Title The role of context specificity in learning: the effects of training context on explosives detection in dogs Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 8 Issue 3 Pages 143-150
Keywords Animals; *Association Learning; Conditioning, Classical; *Discrimination Learning; Dogs; *Environment; *Generalization, Stimulus; *Smell
Abstract Various experiments revealed that if an animal learns a stimulus-response-reinforcer relationship in one context and is then tested in another context there is usually a lessening of stimulus control, and the same discriminative stimuli that reliably controlled the behavior in the first context will have less effect in the new context. This reduction in performance is known as the “context shift effect.” The effect of changing context on the probability of detecting explosives was investigated in seven highly trained explosives detection dogs (EDDs). In experiment 1 the dogs were trained alternately on path A, which always had five hidden explosives, and on a very similar path B, which never had any explosives. Within a few sessions the dogs showed a significant decrease in search behavior on path B, but not on path A. In experiment 2 the same dogs were trained only on path B with a target density of one explosive hidden every 4th day. The probability of the dogs now detecting the explosive was found to be significantly lower than in experiment 1. In experiment 3 the effect of the low target density as used in experiment 2 was investigated on a new but very similar path C. Both the detection probability for the one explosive every 4th day on the new path and the motivation to search were significantly higher than found in experiment 2. Finally, in experiment 4, an attempt was made to recondition the dogs to search on path B. Although trained for 12 daily sessions with one explosive hidden every session, the dogs failed to regain the normal levels of motivation they had shown on both new paths and on the paths that they knew usually contained explosives. The findings reveal that even a very intensively trained EDD will rapidly learn that a specific stretch of path does not contain explosives. The dog will then be less motivated to search and will miss newly placed targets. This learning is specific to the formerly always-clean path and is to some extent irreversible. However, the dog will search and detect normally on new paths even if they are very similar to the always-clean path. The data are discussed in terms of variables affecting renewal. The results suggest that following training designed to make a behavior “context independent,” any extinction training will not generalize beyond that specific context used during the extinction training. In addition, if the behavior is extinguished in a specific context, it will be very difficult to restore that behavior in that context. These conclusions should be considered by anyone attempting to extinguish well-established trans-context behaviors.
Address Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel. iritgazi@post.tau.ac.il
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15449101 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2509
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Author Osthaus, B.; Lea, S.E.G.; Slater, A.M.
Title Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) fail to show understanding of means-end connections in a string-pulling task Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 8 Issue 1 Pages 37-47
Keywords Animals; *Association Learning; *Cognition; Dogs/*psychology; *Problem Solving
Abstract Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) were tested in four experiments for their understanding of means-end connections. In each of the experiments, the dogs attempted to retrieve a food treat that could be seen behind a barrier and which was connected, via string, to a within-reach wooden block. In the experiments, either one or two strings were present, but the treat was attached only to one string. Successful retrieval of the treat required the animals to pull the appropriate string (either by pawing or by grasping the wooden block in their jaws) until the treat emerged from under the barrier. The results showed that the dogs were successful if the treat was in a perpendicular line to the barrier, i.e. straight ahead, but not when the string was at an angle: in the latter condition, the typical response was a proximity error in that the dogs pawed or mouthed at a location closest in line to the treat. When two strings that crossed were present, the dogs tended to pull on the wrong string. The combined results from the experiments show that, although dogs can learn to pull on a string to obtain food, they do not spontaneously understand means-end connections involving strings.
Address School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK. b.osthaus@exeter.ac.uk
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15338446 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2513
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Author Gácsi, M.; Miklósi, Á.; Varga, O.; Topál, J.; Csányi, V.
Title Are readers of our face readers of our minds? Dogs (Canis familiaris) show situation-dependent recognition of human's attention Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 7 Issue 3 Pages 144-153
Keywords Animals; Association Learning; *Attention; Bonding, Human-Pet; Cognition; *Concept Formation; Cues; Dogs/*psychology; *Facial Expression; Female; Humans; Male; *Nonverbal Communication; *Recognition (Psychology); Social Behavior
Abstract The ability of animals to use behavioral/facial cues in detection of human attention has been widely investigated. In this test series we studied the ability of dogs to recognize human attention in different experimental situations (ball-fetching game, fetching objects on command, begging from humans). The attentional state of the humans was varied along two variables: (1) facing versus not facing the dog; (2) visible versus non-visible eyes. In the first set of experiments (fetching) the owners were told to take up different body positions (facing or not facing the dog) and to either cover or not cover their eyes with a blindfold. In the second set of experiments (begging) dogs had to choose between two eating humans based on either the visibility of the eyes or direction of the face. Our results show that the efficiency of dogs to discriminate between “attentive” and “inattentive” humans depended on the context of the test, but they could rely on the orientation of the body, the orientation of the head and the visibility of the eyes. With the exception of the fetching-game situation, they brought the object to the front of the human (even if he/she turned his/her back towards the dog), and preferentially begged from the facing (or seeing) human. There were also indications that dogs were sensitive to the visibility of the eyes because they showed increased hesitative behavior when approaching a blindfolded owner, and they also preferred to beg from the person with visible eyes. We conclude that dogs are able to rely on the same set of human facial cues for detection of attention, which form the behavioral basis of understanding attention in humans. Showing the ability of recognizing human attention across different situations dogs proved to be more flexible than chimpanzees investigated in similar circumstances.
Address Comparative Ethology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pazmany P. 1/c., 1117, Budapest, Hungary. gm.art@axelero.hu
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:14669075 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2547
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Author Hare, J.F.; Sealy, S.G.; Underwood, T.J.; Ellison, K.S.; Stewart, R.L.M.
Title Evidence of self-referent phenotype matching revisited: airing out the armpit effect Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 65-68
Keywords Alleles; Animals; Birds; Cricetinae; Dogs; Humans; Invertebrates; Learning; *Odors; Pedigree; Phenotype; *Recognition (Psychology); Self Psychology; *Social Behavior
Abstract
Address Department of Zoology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada. harejf@cc.umanitoba.ca
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12701614 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2576
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Author Fiset, S.; Beaulieu, C.; Landry, F.
Title Duration of dogs' (Canis familiaris) working memory in search for disappearing objects Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 1-10
Keywords Animals; Dogs/*psychology; *Exploratory Behavior; Female; Male; *Memory; Visual Perception
Abstract Two experiments explored the duration of dogs' working memory in an object permanence task: a delay was introduced between the disappearance of a moving object behind a box and the beginning of the search by the animal. In experiment 1, the dogs were tested with retention intervals of 0, 10, 30, and 60 s. Results revealed that the dogs' accuracy declined as a function of the length of the retention interval but remained above chance for each retention interval. In experiment 2, with new subjects, longer retention intervals (0, 30, 60, 120, and 240 s) were presented to the dogs. Results replicated findings from experiment 1 and revealed that the dogs' accuracy remained higher than chance level with delays up to 240 s. In both experiments, the analysis of errors also showed that the dogs searched as a function of the proximity of the target box and were not subject to intertrial proactive interference. In the discussion, we explore different alternatives to explain why dogs' search behaviour for hidden objects decreased as a function of the retention intervals.
Address Secteur Sciences Humaines, Universite de Moncton, Campus d'Edmundston, E3V 2S8, Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada. sfiset@umce.ca
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12658530 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2586
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Author West, R.E.; Young, R.J.
Title Do domestic dogs show any evidence of being able to count? Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 5 Issue 3 Pages 183-186
Keywords Animal Feed; Animals; Behavior, Animal; *Cognition; *Dogs; Female; Male; *Mathematics; Reinforcement (Psychology); Visual Perception
Abstract Numerical competence has been demonstrated in a wide range of animal species. The level of numerical abilities shown ranges from simple relative numerousness judgements to true counting. In this study we used the preferential looking technique to test whether 11 pet dogs could count. The dogs were presented with three simple calculations: “1+1=2”; “1+1=1”; and “1+1=3”. These calculations were performed by presenting the dogs with treats that were placed behind a screen that allowed manipulation of the outcome of the calculation. When the dogs expected the outcome they spent the same amount of time looking at the result of the calculation as they did on the initial presentation. However, when the result was unexpected dogs spent significantly longer looking at the outcome of the calculation. The results suggest that the dogs were anticipating the outcome of the calculations they observed, thus suggesting that dogs may have a rudimentary ability to count.
Address De Montfort University-Lincoln, Caythorpe, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 3EP, UK
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12357291 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2594
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Author Giangaspero, A.; Traversa, D.; Otranto, D.
Title [Ecology of Thelazia spp. in cattle and their vectors in Italy] Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Parassitologia Abbreviated Journal Parassitologia
Volume 46 Issue 1-2 Pages 257-259
Keywords Animals; Cattle/parasitology; Cattle Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology/transmission; Disease Transmission, Horizontal; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/parasitology/transmission; Dogs/parasitology; Ecosystem; Eye Infections, Parasitic/epidemiology/transmission/*veterinary; Horse Diseases/epidemiology/parasitology/transmission; Horses/parasitology; Humans; Insect Vectors/*parasitology; Italy/epidemiology; Muscidae/*parasitology; Species Specificity; Spirurida Infections/epidemiology/transmission/*veterinary; Thelazioidea/classification/*isolation & purification
Abstract The genus Thelazia (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) includes a cosmopolitan group of eyeworm spirurids responsible for ocular infections in domestic and wild animals and transmitted by different species of muscids. Bovine thelaziosis is caused by Thelazia rhodesi Desmarest 1828, Thelazia gulosa Railliet & Henry 1910, and Thelazia skrjabini Erschow 1928, which occur in many countries; T. gulosa and T. skrjabini have been reported mainly in the New World, while T. rhodesi is particularly common in the Old World. In Italy, T. rhodesi was reported in southern regions a long time ago and, recently, T. gulosa and T. skrjabini have been identified in autochthonous cattle first in Apulia and then in Sardinia. Thirteen species of Musca are listed as intermediate hosts of eyeworms, but only Musca autumnalis and Musca larvipara have been demonstrated to act as vectors of Thelazia in the ex-URSS, North America, ex-Czechoslovakia and more recently in Sweden. In Italy, after the reports of T. gulosa and T. skrjabini in southern regions, the intermediate hosts of bovine eyeworms were initially only suspected as the predominant secretophagous Muscidae collected from the periocular region of cattle with thelaziosis were the face flies, M. autumnalis and M. larvipara, followed by Musca osiris, Musca tempestiva and Musca domestica. The well-known constraints in the identification of immature eyeworms to species by fly dissection and also the time-consuming techniques used constitute important obstacles to epidemiological field studies (i.e. vector identification and/or role, prevalence and pattern of infection in flies, etc.). Molecular studies have recently permitted to further investigations into this area. A PCR-RFLP analysis of the ribosomal ITS-1 sequence was developed to differentiate the 3 species of Thelazia (i.e. T. gulosa, T. rhodesi and T. skrjabini) found in Italy, then a molecular epidemiological survey has recently been carried out in field conditions throughout five seasons of fly activity and has identified the role of M. autumnalis, M. larvipara, M. osiris and M. domestica as vectors of T. gulosa and of M. autumnalis and M. larvipara of T. rhodesi. Moreover, M. osiris was described, for the first time, to act as a vector of T. gulosa and M. larvipara of T. gulosa and T. rhodesi. The mean prevalence in the fly population examined was found to be 2.86%. The molecular techniques have opened new perspectives for further research on the ecology and epidemiology not only of Thelazia in cattle but also of other autochthonous species of Thelazia which have been also recorded in Italy, such as Thelazia callipaeda, which is responsible for human and canid ocular infection and Thelazia lacrymalis, the horse eyeworm whose epidemiological molecular studies are in progress.
Address Dipartimento PR.I.M.E., Universita degli Studi di Foggia
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Italian Summary Language Original Title Ecologia di Thelazia spp. e dei vettori in Italia
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0048-2951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15305729 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2633
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Author Goncalves, T.C.; Rocha, D.S.; Cunha, R.A.
Title Feeding patterns of Triatoma vitticeps in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication Revista de Saude Publica Abbreviated Journal Rev Saude Publica
Volume 34 Issue 4 Pages 348-352
Keywords Animals; Brazil; Cattle; Chagas Disease/transmission; Dogs; Ecology; Feeding Behavior/physiology; Female; Food Habits/physiology; Humans; Insect Vectors/*physiology; Male; Triatoma/*physiology; *Trypanosoma cruzi/isolation & purification
Abstract OBJECTIVE: Feeding patterns of triatomines have contributed to elucidate its biology. Triatoma vitticeps, naturally infected with T. cruzi, has been found in domiciles. Its behavior and epidemiological patterns were investigated. METHODS: One-hundred and twenty two specimens of T. vitticeps were captured from February 1989 to April 1993 in two areas of Triunfo municipality, a subdistrict of Santa Maria Madalena municipal district, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The insects were dissected and their intestinal contents were removed and tested. It was used antisera from: man, cow, horse, dog, pig, armadillo, opossum, rodent, and bird. RESULTS: From the total analyzed, 79 were positive and 43 were negative to the nine antisera tested: armadillo (30.3%) > human and pig (13.1%) > bird and dog (11.5%) > horse (5.7%) > opossum (4.9%) > rodent (4. 1%) > cow (3.3%). Blood meals ranged from 0 to 4 and 6 in the following distribution: 0 = 25.41%; 1 = 45.08%; 2 = 10.66%; 3 = 6. 56%; 4 = 1.64%, and 6 = 0.82%. Nine of the 122 insects captured were not examined, 74 (65.54%) were positive for T. cruzi infection and 39 (34.51%) were negative. CONCLUSIONS: These results identified the T. vitticeps as being a sylvatic species and trypanosomiasis as being an enzootic disease. Epidemiological vigilance will be important to provide more information regarding the behavior of the species
Address Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto swaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. tcmonte@gene.dbbm.fiocruz.br
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0034-8910 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:10973153 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2650
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Author Fulhorst, C.F.; Hardy, J.L.; Eldridge, B.F.; Chiles, R.E.; Reeves, W.C.
Title Ecology of Jamestown Canyon virus (Bunyaviridae: California serogroup) in coastal California Type (up) Journal Article
Year 1996 Publication The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Abbreviated Journal Am J Trop Med Hyg
Volume 55 Issue 2 Pages 185-189
Keywords Aedes/virology; Animals; Antibodies, Viral/blood; California/epidemiology; Cattle; Cattle Diseases/epidemiology; Deer; Dog Diseases/epidemiology; Dogs; Encephalitis Virus, California/immunology/*isolation & purification; Encephalitis, California/epidemiology/*veterinary; Female; Horse Diseases/epidemiology; Horses; Insect Vectors/virology; Lagomorpha; Male; Neutralization Tests/veterinary; Peromyscus; Rodent Diseases/epidemiology; Sigmodontinae
Abstract This paper reports the first isolation of Jamestown Canyon (JC) virus from coastal California and the results of tests for antibody to JC virus in mammals living in coastal California. The virus isolation was made from a pool of 50 Aedes dorsalis females collected as adults from Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, California. The virus isolate was identified by two-way plaque reduction-serum dilution neutralization tests done in Vero cell cultures. Sera from the mammals were tested for antibody to JC virus by a plaque-reduction serum dilution neutralization method. A high prevalence of JC virus-specific antibody was found in horses and cattle sampled from Morro Bay. This finding is additional evidence for the presence of a virus antigenically identical or closely related to JC virus in Morro Bay and indicates that the vectors of the virus in Morro Bay feed on large mammals. A high prevalence of virus-specific antibody was also found in horses sampled from Marin and San Diego counties. This finding suggests that viruses antigenically identical or closely related to JC virus are geographically widespread in coastal California.
Address School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9637 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:8780458 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2656
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Author McHugh, C.P.
Title Ecology of a semi-isolated population of adult Anopheles freeborni: abundance, trophic status, parity, survivorship, gonotrophic cycle length, and host selection Type (up) Journal Article
Year 1989 Publication The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Abbreviated Journal Am J Trop Med Hyg
Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 169-176
Keywords Aging/physiology; Animals; Anopheles/*physiology; Breeding; California; Cattle/parasitology; Dogs/parasitology; Ecology; Feeding Behavior/physiology; Female; Horses/parasitology; Host-Parasite Relations; Male; Parity; Population Density; Rabbits/parasitology
Abstract A population of adult Anopheles freeborni near Sheridan, CA was sampled daily during 13 August-7 September 1984. Data on abundance, trophic status, and gonotrophic age were recorded. Abundance and gonotrophic age data were analyzed to estimate daily survivorship and gonotrophic cycle length. Daily survivorship for unfed mosquitoes was estimated to be 0.72 with a gonotrophic cycle of 6 days duration. Daily survivorship for bloodfed mosquitoes was estimated to be 0.74 with a gonotrophic cycle of 4 days. The 2 day difference in gonotrophic cycles between unfed and bloodfed mosquitoes was the result of the period required for maturation and mating of teneral females. In 1986, an incage release of field-collected females estimated survivorship at 0.75 per day. Precipitin tests of 1,338 blood-engorged mosquito abdomens indicated that bovids, horses, rabbits, and canids comprised 92% of bloodmeals; no bloodmeals of human origin were detected.
Address Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9637 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:2774063 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2673
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