Prevalence of aggression and fear-related behavioral problems in a sample of Argentine Dogos in Italy

The Argentine Dogo breed is identified frequently as potentially dangerous in worldwide legislation. To investigate the prevalence of problem behaviors in this breed, 94 Argentine Dogo owners provided information on aggressive and fearful behaviors shown by their dogs (83 males, 98 females) in a questionnaire. The results were consistent with the origin of the Argentine Dogo (i.e., descending from fighting dogs) and subsequent selection exerted to improve hunting qualities. Common aggressive behaviors included predation on small animals (92.0%), intra-specific conflicts (69.5%), and territoriality (i.e., vigilance of territory perimeter, 61.3%; aggression toward people visiting the dog's house, 45.3%; vigilance while inside the owners' car, 33.1%). Aggression directed to the owner was marginally represented. Reactions to leashing, bathing, punishment, sleep disturbance, toy removal, and in other conflict situations occurred in less than 10% of the sample. Reactions to food removal (13.3%) and handling (19.8%) showed higher prevalence. Chasing cars/running people (17.6%) and aggression toward strangers, either those who were friendly (19.1%) or those who seemed threatening on approach (29.4%), were noted. Low anxiety levels reported in social situations confirmed that these reactions were not common (e.g., fear of strangers, children, and unfamiliar dogs ≤10%). Common anxious behaviors were fear of traffic (10.3%), loud noises (36.2%), startling stimuli (30.5%), destructiveness (42.9%), excessive body licking (13.6%), and shyness in novel situations (32.4%). The context and targets of aggression when exhibited by these dogs (e.g., aggression toward animals when outside the dogs' territory, aggression towards people when inside territory) suggest that the Italian law on potentially dangerous dog breeds may be ineffective in preventing Argentine Dogos' aggression to humans. Social hazards could be reduced by promoting proper social exposure and reactions toward people.     

Relationship between management factors and dog behavior in a sample of Argentine Dogos in Italy

Owners' husbandry choices may affect the expression of dogs' behavior. In this study, the relationship management-behavior was explored in 181 Argentine Dogos owned by 94 dog owners who answered 35 Yes/No questions on their dogs' behavior (e.g., obedience, aggression, and fear) and 10 single-choice questions on dogs' husbandry. The association management-behavior was explored with χ². Kennel-living dogs were more aggressive than house-living ones (food protection, P = 0.017; owner-directed aggression, P = 0.050; stranger-directed aggression, P = 0.031; same-sex dog aggression, P = 0.028), whereas the latter were more obedient (P < 0.001), destructive (P = 0.048) and friendly with people (P = 0.002) and dogs (P < 0.001). Physical punishment was associated with food protection (P = 0.023) and owner-directed aggression (P = 0.026). Dog-showing was inversely associated with pulling on the leash (P = 0.007), and fears of environmental stimuli (i.e., traffic, P = 0.001; startling stimuli, P = 0.031; loud noises, P = 0.018). Frequent play sessions were negatively related to fear of startling stimuli (P = 0.039) and positively to obedience (P < 0.001) and friendliness toward strangers (P = 0.004). Short daily walks were associated with fears of environmental stimuli (startling stimuli, P < 0.001; loud noises, P = 0.033), destructiveness (P = 0.054), low concentration (P = 0.025) and poor results in training sessions (P < 0.001). Obedience training was positively associated with obedience (P < 0.001), mounting people (P = 0.003), aggression to handling (P = 0.002) and food removal (P = 0.041). Without establishing cause–effect relationships between management and behavior, this survey highlights husbandry aspects that need careful evaluation because there are associated with undesirable behaviors (e.g., kennel living) and aspects that may reduce problem behaviors (e.g., daily walks, play sessions, dog shows).     

Attitudes of dog owners to neutering pets: demographic data and effects of owner attitudes

SUMMARY A survey of the attitudes of dog owners to desexing male and female dogs was conducted in the Brisbane area. Over 15800 replies (35% response) were returned for analyses and included both demographic and attitude data. The most common reasons given by owners for not having the dog desexed were that it was unnecessary or they wanted to breed from it or could not afford it or did not agree with it or that the dog was too old or it might get fat. Nearly twice as many male owners agreed that desexing male dogs removed maleness and also more males agreed with the question “Do you equate dog sexuality with human sexuality?” Female owners were more aware than males that their female dogs did not need to have a season (oestrus) or a litter before being desexed. More male owners thought that desexing changed a male or female dog's personality. A disturbing fact was that 61.1% of male owners and 47.3% of female owners would now not have their dog desexed if it had not already been done. More male than female dog owners were ignorant about whether desexing changed personality, made dogs frustrated, or if female dogs should have a season or a litter before desexing. The study showed a gender bias in owner attitudes to all the attitude questions.     

Risk factors associated with interdog aggression and shooting phobias among purebred dogs in Denmark

The prevalence of behaviour problems is reported from a questionnaire study among members of the Danish Kennel Club (DKC). In total, 4359 dog owners were included in the analyses. With logistic regression, we analysed four behaviour problems: dominance towards the owner, interdog dominance aggression, separation anxiety and shooting phobia. Compared to Labrador Retrievers, the following breeds and breed groups had higher odds of being reported to have interdog dominance aggression: Belgian Sheepdogs, Dachshunds, Dalmatians, German Shepherds, Hovawarts, Pinschers, Rottweilers, Scent dogs and Spitz dogs. Poodles, retrieving/flushing dogs, Sheepdogs, Spitz dogs and terriers had higher odds of shooting phobia. The odds of interdog dominance aggression were higher among dogs owned by younger dog owners compared to dogs owned by older dog owners. Dogs living in the capital area of Copenhagen had increased odds of interdog dominance aggression as compared to dogs living in other parts of Denmark. Dogs belonging to owners with limited knowledge of the breed before acquiring the dog had higher odds of interdog dominance aggression. Dogs attending obedience training classes had reduced odds of shooting phobia. Dogs belonging to dog breeders had reduced odds of being reported to have the investigated behaviour problems.     

Reciprocal attention of dogs and owners in urban contexts

Laboratory-based studies have shown that paying attention to humans is an important determinant of dogs' behavior. However, there are no data on how gaze is deployed between dogs and owners in non-laboratory conditions. This study aimed at characterizing dogs' and owners' attention to each other in 2 urban contexts, characterized by a different density of dynamic stimuli. Short videos of 176 dog–owner couples walking in streets and squares of the city center (CC) or green areas (GAs) of the center of Padova (Italy) were recorded. Continuous sampling was used for recording when dogs and owners were visually oriented toward their respective partners. These data allowed calculation of the average length of continuous gazes, number of gazes per minute, and the percentage of time in which dogs and owners were oriented toward their partners; also computed were the frequency and duration of mutual gazes. Eighty-three dogs and 32 owners never looked at their reciprocal partners for the entire duration of the video. On average, dogs were oriented to owners for 0.6% of the time and looked at them 0.5 times per minute, in bouts of 0.5 seconds. All parameters of dogs' attention were higher for off-leash dogs in GAs than for on-leash dogs in both GAs and CC. Although such limited attention to owners may reflect the requirements of ongoing action, it also suggests that most dogs do not need to look at their owners during walks, possibly because they are not confronted with situations of uncertainty. Owners were oriented to their dogs for 5.3% of the time and looked at them 1.7 times per minute, in bouts of 1.4 seconds. Owners' attention was lower in CC than in GAs, which may reflect differences between contexts in the number of distracting stimuli or in owners' motivations for looking at their dogs while walking in these different contexts.     

The quality of life of pet dogs owned by elderly people depends on the living context,not on the owner's age

Social and physical changes associated with human aging may influence the characteristics of the relationship between dogs and their owners and ultimately pets' quality of life. In view of the need of data on this aspect, this study examined the effects of owners' age on the quality of life of dogs. We compared parameters of dogs' quality of life (owners' care and attachment to them and pets' physical condition) between elderly and adult owners living in rural/suburban areas of 2 cities in Northern Italy. Within this context, the only finding was the lower degree of health care provided to dogs by their elderly owners, suggesting a lack of specific information about dog health care, rather than a general effect of the owners' age on the relationship with their pet. Dogs' quality of life parameters were also compared between elderly people living in rural/suburban areas and another sample of elderly people living in city centers. The latter were more attached to their dogs and provided them with a higher level of care. In conclusion, this study found very limited concerns about the adoption of dogs late in their owners' lives. However, in view of the importance of the living context of the elderly on their pets' quality of life, this aspect warrants further investigation.     

Dog and owner characteristics affecting the dog–owner relationship

The nature of the relationship between companion dogs and their owners has important impact on the effect of life for both dog and owner. Identifying factors that affect the dog–owner relationship will assist the understanding of how the successful relationship is achieved and how the less successful relationship is mended, with potential benefits for the welfare of both species. In the present study, we investigated the effect of several dog and owner characteristics, including the personality of the dog, on the dog–owner relationship as measured by the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS). Data were collected by inviting owners of dogs that had been tested on the Danish Dog Mentality Assessment (DMA) to answer an online questionnaire. We were able to match 421 owner answers with their dogs' DMA test results. The questionnaire consisted of the 28 items of the MDORS, as well as questions about the owners and their dogs. Using factor analysis, 5 dog personality traits could be derived from the dogs' test results on the DMA. The predictive value of questionnaire-based owner and dog variables and the 5 dog personality traits on the dog–owner relationship was tested using multiple linear regressions: 1 for each of the 3 subscales of the MDORS. Overall, the variables investigated only predicted a small proportion of the variance in MDORS scores, and owner characteristics appeared to influence the dog–owner relationship more than dog personality traits did. We found that children in the family and using the dog only for company were negatively associated with the owners' perception of the relationship with their dogs. The only dog characteristics to predict the dog–owner relationship were fearfulness and fear-related behavior problems.     

Comparison of behavioral characteristics of dogs in the United States and Japan

This study examined the difference in dog owning between Japan and the United States, and the effect of these differences on dogs’ behavioral characteristics. Behavioral evaluations of privately-owned dogs were obtained by using online questionnaire. We compared background and demographic information from the two countries and analyzed the effects of these differences on behavioral characteristics in dogs. The results indicated that there was a bias in the dog breeds kept in Japan compared to the United States and that Japanese dogs’ body weight was lower than the US dogs. The main source of dog acquisition was pet stores in Japan and breeders and/or shelters in the United States. Multiple linear regression analysis found that Japanese dogs showed more aggression to household members and higher energy, restlessness and fear of non-social stimuli than US dogs, while US dogs showed more fear of unfamiliar persons, separation-related behavior and excitability. US dogs also showed higher levels of trainability and attachment to owners. The lower dog’s body weight was, the higher the behavioral scores except for trainability were. When dogs that were obtained under 3 months of age were analyzed, the younger the dogs were when their owners obtained them, the higher the scores on some behavioral problem factors were. The higher rates of problem behaviors among Japanese dogs compared with US dogs suggest that the preference for small breed dogs and poor early development environment influenced the behavioral characteristics of dogs.     

The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems,as reported by owners,in a population of domestic dogs

In a questionnaire survey of dog owners, 88% of respondents’ dogs had received some form of training. Training methods varied; 16% of owners said that they used only positive reinforcement, 12% used a combination of positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement, 32% used a combination of positive reinforcement and positive punishment, and the remaining 40% used a combination of all categories. Seventy-two percent of owners used some form of positive punishment. The mean number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported was 11.3 per dog. Attendance at formal training classes did not significantly affect the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported. However, dogs that had attended puppy socialization classes were less likely to show an undesirable reaction to dogs from outside the household, and owners who carried out informal training at home, but did not attend any form of formal training class, were more likely to report some form of aggression in their dog. The training method used by owners was also related to the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors shown by the dogs. When individual categories of potentially undesirable behavior were investigated, the type of training method used was also significantly associated with attention-seeking score, fear (avoidance) score, and aggression score. Other factors related to the overall number of potentially undesirable behaviors included the age and origin of the dog.     

A survey of owners' perceptions of fear of fireworks in a sample of dogs and cats in New Zealand

Abstract

AIMS: To establish reliable information regarding the behavioural responses of dogs and cats to fireworks in New Zealand; record interventions used by owners, and their perceived efficacies; and establish the prevalence of firework-related injury, and quantify owners' attitudes towards fireworks.

METHODS: A questionnaire targeting dog and cat owners was distributed via the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Animals Voice magazine and 25 veterinary clinics. The questionnaire covered demographics of animals, fear of fireworks, severity of the fear, and behaviours exhibited. Also included were treatments tried, source and perceived efficacy, prevalence of injury, and owners' attitudes towards the sale of fireworks for private use.

RESULTS: From a total of 8,966 questionnaires distributed, 1,007 valid questionnaires were returned, representing 3,527 animals. Of these 1,635 (46%) animals displayed a level of fear of fireworks recognisable to their owners. Owners of dogs identified a significantly higher fear response than owners of cats but the duration of these fear responses did not differ between species. Fear of fireworks frequently resulted in dogs exhibiting active fear behaviours, whereas cats were more likely to exhibit hiding and cowering behaviours. A significantly increased severity and duration of fear response over time in dogs and cats was associated with owners who comforted them when they displayed a fearful response. Only 141/890 (15.8%) of owners sought professional treatment from a veterinarian, animal behaviourist or animal trainer for their animals, with variable efficacy. Six percent (51/923) of animals had received physical injuries from fireworks. The majority (837/1,007; 83%) of respondents, regardless of whether they owned a fearful animal or not, supported a ban on the sale of fireworks for private use.

CONCLUSIONS: The results provide valuable information that is, as yet, unsubstantiated in New Zealand, although potential biases exist due to the non-random selection of respondents. Differences between dogs and cats were likely due to differing responses to fear-provoking stimuli between the species. Owner-reported increase in fearful response over time for comforted animals may indicate a negative impact on the longer-term psychological welfare of their animal.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The greater the awareness of effective treatment plans for animals that suffer from a fear of fireworks, the greater the possibility that this fear can be reduced. Wider dissemination of effective owner behaviour and treatment programmes for firework fears is needed to improve levels of professional treatment for dogs and cats.     

Will breed-specific legislation reduce dog bites?

So how do we deal with biting dogs? To start with, we must remind ourselves that biting is a natural activity of all dogs, and that there is potential for injury. All dog owners must understand this and must be made aware that they are fully responsible for the actions of their dogs. I am not convinced that this is universally understood by dog owners, nor am I satisfied that every dog owner takes the necessary steps to train and socialize their dog. Owners need to be encouraged to actively work at inhibiting biting behaviour when dogs are young. As well, all dogs should be socialized to accept children, regardless of whether or not there are children living with the dog. Adults without dogs need to learn that dogs don''t understand "people''s rights," and that dogs should not be expected to act differently with different people. Adults also need to understand that young children should never be left alone with a dog (or a cat) without supervision, and that all children should be taught how to behave around dogs, particulary around dogs they don''t know. So long as we have dogs living with us there will be people who get bitten. The most effective way to prevent bites is to encourage dog owners to become knowledgeable about their animals and to train and socialize them so that they can become good dog neighbours. Many municipalities already have by-laws that deal with animal bites, and in Ontario the Dog Owners Liability Act has proven to be effective in confining, restraining or disposing of biting or attacking dogs judged to be a definite threat to public health and safety, and when evidence warrants, there is always Section #221 of the Criminal Code of Canada. Most legislation deals with bites after the fact. If we want to prevent all bites, there is only one sure way and that is to ban all dogs. That is of course as unrealistic as trying to prevent bites by enacting breed specific legislation.     

Flatulence in pet dogs

Aim. The purpose of this study was to obtain information on aspects of dogs' lifestyle and diet that may be related to flatulence, whether the dogs were flatulent or not and if the owners were concerned about flatulence of their pet.

Methods. The owners of 110 pet dogs were randomly selected from the Massey University clinic tiles and asked to complete a questionnaire relating to their dog’s flatulence, lifestyle and diet.

Results. Flatulence was detected by 47 owners and occurred more often in less active “inside” dogs than those exercised more often. No individual food or dietary association was identified. Nineteen of the 47 owners of flatulent dogs would alter their dog’s diet if that change would reduce flatulence.

Conclusion. Flatulence occurs in pet dogs and most owners accept flatulence and were unconcerned about its consequence.     

Aggressive behavior in the English cocker spaniel

A high percentage of aggression problems and a tendency to display noninhibited aggression in the English cocker spaniel (ECS) have been suggested by many authors. The authors of this paper designed a retrospective study to analyze the aggressive behavior of 145 ECSs presented for aggression problems to the Animal Behavior Service at the Barcelona School of Veterinary Medicine's veterinary teaching hospital. Aggressive ECSs were compared with a population of dogs of the same breed presented for a behavior problem other than aggression and with a population of aggressive dogs of other breeds. The most common forms of aggression in the ECS were owner-directed aggression (67.6%), aggression toward unfamiliar people (18.4%), aggression toward unfamiliar dogs (10.1%), and aggression toward family dogs (3.3%).Owner-directed aggression was more common in the ECS than in other breeds, although in similar contexts. In the ECS, the golden coat color was more common in the aggressive dogs than in nonaggressive dogs. ECSs showed impulsive aggression more frequently than aggressive dogs of other breeds. The aim of the study was to analyze cases of aggressive ECSs seen in a referral practice.     

National survey of owner-directed aggression in English Springer Spaniels

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of owner-directed aggression and identify associated environmental and genetic factors in English Springer Spaniels. DESIGN: Prevalence survey. ANIMALS: 1,053 adult English Springer Spaniels. PROCEDURE: A mail survey was sent to 2,400 randomly selected owners of adult American Kennel Club-registered English Springer Spaniels. Dogs with a history of aggression to family members and familiar humans were compared with dogs without such a history. RESULTS: 1,053 questionnaires (56.1% of the 1,877 delivered) were completed. A history of owner-directed growling or more intense aggression was reported in 510 (48.4%) dogs. Two hundred seventy-seven (26.3%) dogs had bitten a human in the past; 65.2% of bites were directed at familiar (owner or nonowner) adults and children. Variables associated with owner-directed aggression included sex of dog (male), neuter status (neutered, regardless of sex), show or bench lines, age > 4 years, aggression to unfamiliar adults and children, acquisition from a hobby breeder, less responsiveness to obedience cues, and a specific kennel and 1 popular sire from that kennel in a 4-generation pedigree. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Owner-directed aggression in adult English Springer Spaniels was associated with a number of environmental, sex-related, and inherited factors. To reduce the risk of aggression, prospective owners might seek a female, hunting-type English Springer Spaniel from an experienced breeder. However, because risk factors are broad and varied, there are limitations to the extent to which behavior can be predicted and further study is needed of the inheritance of aggression in this breed.     

Evaluation of inciting causes, alternative targets, and risk factors associated with redirected aggression in cats

OBJECTIVE: To identify inciting causes, alternative targets, and risk factors associated with redirected aggression in cats. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 19 cats with a history of redirected aggression and 64 cats with no such history. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed to identify cats evaluated for problems with redirected aggression (case cats), in which the primary inciting stimulus and alternative target of aggression were clearly identifiable. Data obtained from the records and from follow-up interviews included details about the cats and incidents of redirected aggression. Owners of control cats were interviewed via telephone to obtain similar information on their cats. RESULTS: 22 incidents of redirected aggression were reported for the 19 case cats. In 95% of those incidents, loud noises or interactions with other cats were identified as the inciting stimuli. Case cats most commonly redirected their aggression toward the owner, followed by another cat living in the same household. Compared with control cats, case cats were more likely to have a sound phobia but were less likely to be outdoor cats. In addition, case cats were more likely to be from small households (相似文献   

Owner complaints of canine behavior in Iran–A preliminary survey

The current survey assessed 17 common behavioral complaints reported by 234 dog owners attending the Small Animal Hospital, University of Tehran using a questionnaire. According to the results, nearly 95% of dog owners reported at least 1 undesirable behavior in their dogs. Aggression toward other dogs and people, jumping up, and excessive barking were the most common behavioral complaints. Owners of large-breed dogs were more likely to complain about their dogs’ aggressive behaviors toward people/dogs and excessive barking compared with owners of small-breed dogs. Dogs without access to a yard were more likely to show phobia-associated behaviors, fearfulness, and separation-related behaviors, whereas those having access to a yard were more likely to show aggressive behaviors toward people/dogs and excessive barking. Interaction of dogs with people and type of reaction used by owners in response to the behavior were also related with some other behavioral characteristics of the animals.     

Behavioural effects of ovariohysterectomy on hitches

A questionnaire about their dogs' behaviour was administered to the owners of 150 spayed bitches at the time of spaying and again six months later. It was also administered twice with the same time interval to a control group of 150 unspayed bitches, group matched for breed and age. Principal component analysis of the questionnaire responses yielded 13 factors. On two of these factors, ‘indiscriminate appetite’ and ‘dominance aggression towards family members’, the scores of the spayed bitches showed a significant increase compared with their controls. The spayed bitches most likely to show an increase in dominance aggression were puppies under one year, already showing some aggression.     

Effect of Supplementation With Omega-3 Fatty Acids,Magnesium, and Zinc on Canine Behavioral Disorders: Results of a Pilot Study

Recent discoveries have shown that the chances of a dog developing a behavioral disorder may depend upon a number of factors including nutrition. The current pilot study was designed to provide an assessment of the efficacy of a dietary supplement containing omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc on some common behavioral disorders in a population of Iranian domestic dogs. In total, 48 dogs including 6 dogs without any behavior disorder (control group) and 42 dogs with at least 1 common behavioral disorder, namely excessive activity, inappropriate elimination, fearfulness, destructiveness, and aggression toward unfamiliar people and dogs (test group), were given daily oral dose of gelatin capsules of fish oil supplements containing 330 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 480 mg docosahexaenoic acid. Moreover, all dogs received 12-15 mg/kg of magnesium citrate and 5 mg/kg of zinc sulfate. Data were obtained using a questionnaire that dog owners were invited to fill out 2 times before (Days 0 and 42) and 2 times after the supplement treatment period (Days 84 and 126). The questionnaire asked owners whether their dog had exhibited any of the 6 common behavioral disorders on a 5-point Likert-like scale ranging from 0 (never or very rarely) to 4 (very often). The results showed no significant changes for any of the evaluated behavior disorders scale in the control group. In dogs with behavior disorders, results showed a significant reduction in the median score for the severity of fearfulness (P?=?.0083), destructiveness (P?=?.002), and inappropriate elimination (P < .001). In addition, there were no significant differences in the median score for the severity of excessive activity (P = .162), aggression toward dogs (P = .281), and aggression toward unfamiliar people (P = .09) during the course of the study. Results of the study reported here support the hypothesis that a combination of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc may improve some of the behavioral disorders.     

Follow-up study of owner attitudes toward home care of paraplegic dogs.

A questionnaire was mailed to 30 owners of paraplegic dogs who had been caring for their dogs at home for 3 to 72 months. It was designed to collect information on demographic variables, duration of ownership and paralysis, age of the pet, pet/owner relationship, owner expectations and perceptions of the pet's quality of life, problems the pet experienced, effect that maintaining a paralyzed pet had on the owners' quality of life, and whether use of a cart was beneficial. Significant correlation was found between prior expectations that the pet would lead a high-quality life and perception that the pet, in fact, had a high quality of life during paralysis (r2 = 0.61, P = 0.01). Owners who had anticipated that extra work would be necessary to care for their paraplegic dog had a more positive attitude toward home care (r2 = 0.55, P = 0.03). Overall, owners involved in the study were satisfied with all aspects of maintaining paraplegic dogs at home. Our findings support the feasibility of dedicated owners successfully maintaining small (average body weight, 9 kg) paraplegic dogs at home for extended periods.     

Behavioral and cardiac responses by dogs to physical human–dog contact

Measures of behavioral responses and cardiovascular parameters to evaluate and assess animal well-being are well established. A major aspect of companion animal well-being seems to originate from direct human–animal interaction. For pet dogs, the manner in which they obtain and respond to petting and hugs could interfere with the development of a pleasant human–dog companionship. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular responses by dogs to physical human–dog contact and to assess these physiological responses in relation to the dogs' behavioral responses. Noninvasive measurements of privately owned dogs' (N = 28) cardiovascular parameters and behavioral responses were carried out during 9 physical human–dog interactions (e.g., petting the dog on its back, holding a forepaw of the dog). The behavioral responses were grouped in categories, for example, redirected behavior, displacement activity, and appeasement gesture. The mean heart rate (HR) and 2 cardiac activity parameters, standard deviation of normal-to-normal R–R intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive heartbeat interval differences/SDNN (RMSSD/SDNN) ratio, differed significantly among the human–dog interactions. Petting and holding the dog around the head was associated with an increased SDNN. An increased vagal tone was the dogs' responses to being petted at the chest. Displacement activities correlated negatively with all cardiovascular parameters (HR, SDNN, RMSSD, and RMSSD/SDNN ratio). Appeasement gestures were positively correlated with HR and occurred less under an increased vagal tone. The behavioral strategies, that is, freezing (standing motionless with all legs on the floor) and withdrawal (moving backward without any agonistic display) were negatively associated with the cardiac activity parameters, RMSSD and RMSSD/SDNN ratio. The dogs' behavioral and physiological responses suggest that some common physical human–dog interactions perceived as unpleasant by dogs. Emphasis on human signaling in human–dog interactions encourages development of recommendations for pleasant and safe human–dog contact to enhance dogs' well-being and the human–dog relationship.