title: Association between prospective owner viewing of the parents of a puppy and later referral for behavioural problems.
abstract: A case-control study was designed to test whether there is an association between the owners seeing the mother of a puppy, and later development of behavioural problems. The sample consisted of dogs that were seen by animal behaviourists (members of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors) and equivalent dogs (without a behavioural problem, but the owners would consider referral to an animal behaviourist were the dog to develop a behavioural problem) seen at a veterinary practice that referred to each animal behaviourist. After adjustment for confounding factors using multivariable logistic regression, case dogs were more likely to be younger than controls (P < 0.001); less likely to be obtained at six (OR = 0.27, 95 per cent CI = 0.09 to 0.85, P = 0.03), nine (OR = 0.22, 95 per cent CI = 0.06 to 0.80, P = 0.02) or 10 weeks (OR = 0.35, 95 per cent CI = 0.12 to 1.01, P = 0.05), than eight weeks; more likely for the owner to have seen only one parent (OR = 2.49, 95 per cent CI = 1.15 to 5.37, P = 0.02) than both parents, and more likely to have not seen either parent (OR = 3.82, 95 per cent CI = 1.12 to 12.97, P = 0.03) than both. Advice to 'see the mother' has been shown to be partly scientifically accurate in relation to future unwanted behavioural problems among dogs; in fact, it may be better for prospective owners to be recommended to view both parents.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road Neston, CH64 7TE, UK. carri.westgarth@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westgarth
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reevell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barclay
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000523:psychology*; D004609:Eliminative Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010067:Ownership; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires