Annual Review of Cases 1999

The authors of this report Emma Magnus BSc (Hons) MSc, David Appleby MSc and Dawn Sutton BSc (Hons) MSc would like to thank the members of the APBC who submitted their data.

The APBC would like to thank Intervet UK Limited for their continuing support and interest in the APBC's Annual Review of Cases.

BREAKDOWN OF CASES SUBMITTED

Average number of problems per dog - 1.53 (1.51 per male and 1.55 per female)
Average number of problems per cat - 1.20 (1.22 per male and 1.18 per female)

MOST COMMON BREEDS REFERRED

 

Cat Breeds

Domestic Short Hair
Burmese
Siamese
Persian
Domestic Long Hair

Key to Graph

Canine Aggression - breakdown of cases referred

Aggression towards people

Problem	Total	Males	Females
Status Aggression Towards members of the family	110	79.1%	20.9%
Food aggression	29	65.5 %	34.5%
Fear Territorial in home or garden	175	61.2%	38.8%
Fear Towards visitors to home	147	57.8%	42.2%
Fear Towards strangers out of home	206	55.8%	44.2%
Fear Directed at family members	48	68.8%	31.2%

Aggression towards other dogs

Problem	Total	Males	Females
Fear	287	59.6%	40.4%
Chase	16 *	68.75% *	31.25% *
Learned or frustrated play	50	82%	18%
Aggression between same sex dogs in home	125	48.8%	51.2%
Aggression to opposite sex dogs in home	6 *	16.7% *	83.3% *

 

* - low numbers of data

Canine Aggression within the home - number of people in the home

	1 M	1 F	2 M	2 F	M & F	Multi
Status Aggression Towards members of the family	1	10	1	5	49	44
Fear Territorial in home or garden	1	10	8	15	63	78
Fear Towards visitors to home	1	11	5	6	58	66
Fear Towards strangers out of home	2	19	4	7	92	82
Fear Directed at family members	0	1	1	1	14	31
Food Aggression	1	0	1	0	16	11
Aggression between same sex dogs in home	0	9	3	11	72	30
Aggression between opposite sex dogs in home	0	1	0	0	4	1

 

Key to table

M - male
F - female
Multi - Multiple households

Although it would appear that female owners are more likely to encounter aggression from their dogs than male owners, it must be borne in mind that these numbers reflect the incidence of referral. Female owners may be more likely to seek a referral to a behaviourist. Similarly the higher figures for multiple households may indicate an increased sensitivity to problems of aggression due to children in the home.

Cases of canine aggression linked with the environment obtained from when obtained up to 7 weeks of age.

 

	Number obtained up to 7 weeks of age	% K   Env.	% D Env.
Status Aggression   Towards members of the family	53	52.8	41.5
Fear Territorial in home or garden	62	54.8	40.3
Fear Towards visitors to home	63	52.4	39.7
Fear Towards strangers out of home	83	45.8	46
Fear Directed at family members	15 *	40 *	40 *
Fear Towards other dogs	89	57.3	37.1
Aggression   between same sex dogs in home	70	60	34.3

* - low numbers of data

 

Key to table

K - Dogs obtained from a kennel or kennel-type environment
D - Dogs obtained from a domestic environment

The information on this table shows that up to seven weeks of age, the environment that the puppy is obtained from has an impact on its behaviour. Dogs that have been referred for aggressive behaviour are likely to have been obtained from a kennel or kennel-type environment if they were obtained prior to 7 weeks of age. Kennel or kennel-type environments are not considered generally stimulating enough to expose the young dog to the range of stimuli necessary for later life.

The remainder of puppies obtained during these age groups were obtained through rescue societies or pet shops.

Cases of canine aggression linked with the environment obtained from when obtained between 8 and 14 weeks of age.

 

	Number obtained between 8 and 14 weeks of age	% K   Env.	% D Env.
Status Aggression   Towards members of the family	26	46.1	46.1
Fear Territorial in home or garden	42	42.9	38.1
Fear Towards visitors to home	26	50	38.5
Fear Towards strangers away from home	40	47.5	37.5
Fear Directed at family members	17 *	52.9*	37.5*
Fear Towards other dogs	62	50	41.9
Aggression Between same sex dogs in home	28	42.9	42.9

* - low numbers of data

Key to table

K - Dogs obtained from a kennel or kennel-type environment
D - Dogs obtained from a domestic environment

The information on this table shows that when a puppy is obtained between 8 and 14 weeks there is a correlation between being obtained from a kennel or kennel-type environment and a later referral for fear aggression behaviour problems. At this age there seems to be little effect on problems associated with status aggression towards members of the family or rank related aggression between same sex dogs within the home.

The remainder of puppies obtained during these age groups were obtained through rescue societies or pet shops.

Canine Aggression and breed types

Problem	Breeds
Status Aggression   Towards members of the family	Cocker Spaniel 9.09% West Highland White Terrier 8.18% GSD 8.18%
Fear Territorial in home or garden	GSD 16.57% Cross breed 13.14% Border Collie 10.29%
Fear Towards people in home	GSD 19.73% Cross breed 18.36% Border Collie 12.92%
Fear Towards people out of home	GSD 17.48% Cross breed 17% Border Collie 14.97%
Fear Directed at family members	Border Collie 10.42% Cocker Spaniel 10.42% Cross breed 8.3%
Fear Towards other dogs	Crossbreed 16.72% GSD 16.03% Border Collie 4.53% Cocker Spaniel 4.53%
Aggression  between same sex dogs in home	Crossbreed 9.6% GSD 8.8% Border Collie 8% West Highland White Terrier 8%

 

The breeds listed in the table above should be compared with the data at the start of this booklet to note a high incidence of referral of these breeds or registration with the Kennel Club.

Key to Graph

Feline Aggression - breakdown of cases referred

Aggression towards people

Problem	Total	Males	Females
Redirected	4 *	75%	25%
Fear To people in the home	3 *	0	100%
Fear To people outside home	6 *	83.3%	16.7%
Fear Towards family	10	60%	40%
Petting/Biting Syndrome	4 *	50%	50%
Learned Aggression	4 *	50%	50%
Idiopathic Aggression	21	62%	38%

Aggression towards other cats

 

 

Problem	Total	Males	Females
Territorial	7 *	57.1%	42.9%
Redirected	5 *	80%	20%
Social	60	26.7%	73.3%

 

* - low numbers of data

Feline Aggression within the home - number of people in the home

	1 M	1 F	2 M	2 F	M & F	Multi
Redirected Aggression	0	2	0	0	1	1
Fear To people in the home	0	3	0	0	0	0
Fear To people outside home	0	5	0	0	1	0
Fear Towards family	0	1	1	0	7	0
Petting/Biting Syndrome	0	2	0	0	2	0
Learned Aggression	0	2	0	0	1	0
Idiopathic Aggression	0	5	0	0	13	2
Territorial	0	1	0	0	4	1
Redirected	0	2	0	0	2	1
Social	0	8	0	0	28	19

Key to graph

M - male
F - female
Multi - Multiple households

Once again single female owners appear to be more likely to be referred for behaviour problems with their cats than single male owners. However this does not seem to be a factor for homes containing two males or two females. A male and female owners is the most common unit to seek referral to a pet behaviour counsellor.

Cases of feline aggression, indoor marking and fearful behaviour - environment obtained from when obtained up to 7 weeks of age

 

	Number obtained up to 7 weeks of age	% C   Env.	% D Env.
Aggression Towards people	18	5.6	55.6
Aggression Towards other cats	19	10.5	57.9
Indoor Marking	12	0	66.7
Fears and Phobias	4 *	0	50 *

* - low numbers of data

<>Key to table

C - Cats obtained from a cattery or cattery-type environment
D - Cats obtained from a domestic environment

When considering the above table it must be borne in mind that pedigree kittens obtained from breeders are rarely homed prior to 12 weeks of age.

The remainder of kittens obtained during these age groups were obtained from rescue societies or pet shops.

Cases of feline aggression, indoor marking and fearful behaviour - environment obtained from when obtained between 8 and 14 weeks of age

	Number obtained between 8 and 14 weeks of age	% C   Env.	% D Env.
Aggression Towards people	14	64.3	21.4
Aggression Towards other cats	22	45.5	45.5
Indoor Marking	11	63.6	36.4
Fears and Phobias	12	66.7	33.3

Key to table

C - Cats obtained from a cattery or cattery-type environment
D - Cats obtained from a domestic environment

Kittens that have been living in a cattery up until 14 weeks of age are more likely to be referred to a behaviourist for problems associated with aggression, indoor marking and fears and phobias than kittens reared inside the home.

Cattery or cattery-type environments are not considered generally stimulating enough to expose the young cat to the range of stimuli necessary for later life.

Conclusions

The most common behavioural problem in dogs referred to some members of the APBC is aggression towards people. This is followed by aggression towards other dogs.

The most common behavioural problem in cats referred to some members of the APBC is aggression towards other cats. This is followed by aggression towards people.

The most common form of referred aggression from dogs towards people is fear aggression directed towards strangers encountered outside the home. This is followed by fear aggression in territorial situation arising in the home or garden.

The most common form of referred aggression from dogs towards other dogs is fear aggression. This is followed by aggression towards a same sex individual within the home.

The most common form of referred aggression from cats towards other cats is social aggression between cats living in the same home.

The most common form of referred aggression from cats towards people is idiopathic aggression. This is followed by fear aggression towards family members.

Male dogs are more likely to be referred for aggressive behaviour problems than females unless the aggression is between same sex dogs within the same home.

Male cats are more likely to be referred for aggressive behaviour problems than females unless the aggression is social and directed towards another cat in the home.

Puppies reared in kennel or kennel-type environments prior to 7 weeks of age or 14 weeks of age are referred more often for most aggressive behaviours than those reared in domestic homes.

Kittens reared in cattery or cattery-type environments prior to 14 weeks of age are referred markedly more often for problems associated with aggression, indoor marking and fearful or phobic behaviour.