Acoustic feature of barks of ovariohysterectomized and intact German Shepherd bitches.
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of ovariohysterectomy on vocalization during territorial aggression of German Shepherd dogs. Sixteen clinically healthy dogs of 5 to 10 months old were assigned randomly to one of two groups: ovariohysterectomy or control. Their behaviors and vocalizations induced by the approach of a strange with a strange dog were recorded using digital camcorder at four and five months after surgery and were analysed. When territorial aggression was induced, dogs in ovariohysterectomized group showed more offensive territorial aggression. The bark was the most frequent vocalization. In this study, the average number of barks was 45 times in ovariohysterectomized group, and 26 times in the control group. The pitch of vocalization was significantly lower in ovariohysterectomized group than control group. First formant, second formant, third formant, and fourth formant frequency in ovariohysterectomized group, which represent the degree of sound energy in specific frequency, were lower than those of control group. Ovariohysterectomy of bitches may influence the frequency of aggressive vocalization and affect the acoustic feature of dogs' vocalization. Analysis of vocalization could be a useful method of evaluating the dogs' intention.
Kim
Hyeon-Hee
HH
Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea.
Yeon
Seong-Chan
SC
Houpt
Katherine-Albro
KA
Lee
Hee-Chun
HC
Chang
Hong-Hee
HH
Lee
Hyo-Jong
HJ
D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007723:Korea; D019370:Observation; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013018:Sound Spectrography / Q000662:veterinary; D013731:Territoriality; D014741:Video Recording; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000502:physiology*