Real-time non-invasive measurement of heart rate in working dogs: a technique with potential applications in the objective assessment of welfare problems.
The Polar Sport Tester (Polar Electro OY) is a telemetric heart rate monitor designed for use in humans. Its usefulness as a monitor during training of guide dogs is assessed in this paper. Heart rates from six representative dogs at a similar stage of early training were recorded at 5-s intervals during a 15-20 min work session. The dogs were F1 Labrador Retriever x Golden Retrievers. They were chosen if their behaviour could be clearly categorized by their experienced trainers as either 'calm/non-stress prone' (Type A) or 'excitable/stress prone' (Type B) during work. Verbal recordings were made of environmental cues and behavioural responses in each dog. Variability in heart rate was significantly related to a subject's described temperament.
Vincent
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Department of Farm Animal and Equine Medicine and Surgery, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts AL9 7TA, UK.
Leahy
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RA
D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D013686:Telemetry / Q000662:veterinary*