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AAB Saturday Poster Session |
Saturday, May 25, 2024 |
1:00 PM–3:00 PM |
Convention Center, 200 Level, Exhibit Hall A |
Chair: Amanda Guld Fisher (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) |
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1. The Cat's in the Bag: Training Cats to Ride in Strollers |
Area: AAB; Domain: Applied Research |
YASMEEN GOMEZ (Virginia Tech), Yhakira Gray (Virginia Tech), Allison Andrukonis (Virginia Tech), Julianna Scardina (Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine), Erica N. Feuerbacher (Virginia Tech) |
Discussant: Claire Norris (QABA Credentialing Board) |
Abstract: Cat strollers offer new avenues for cat owners to interact with their cats, and for shelters to provide enrichment to their cats and publicize their adoptable cats. However, to date, no research exists on cats’ behavior in strollers. It is possible that training cats to approach and hop in the stroller might result in them showing fewer stress-related behaviors when in the stroller. In this study, we trained 10 adult cats and 20 kittens from a local shelter to approach and hop in a stroller. After training they were taken on stroller rides (three 15-minute rides for adult cats; one 10-min ride for kittens). We divided our training into 33 criteria and recorded highest criterion reached on each trial. We observed acquisition of the behaviors for approaching and/or hopping into the stroller, however there was substantial individual variation in highest criterion reached. We also saw variation in performance within a cat across training sessions, which is not surprising given the unpredictable environment in which they lived. We compared trained cats’ and kittens’ behavior in the stroller to equivalent groups of cats/kittens that did not receive training and discuss our results in terms of the impact training had on stroller behavior. |
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2. Requisite Behavior Change of the Owner and Family of a New Puppy |
Area: AAB; Domain: Service Delivery |
RICHARD COOK (Applied Behavior Medicine Associates of Hershey) |
Discussant: Amanda Guld Fisher (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) |
Abstract: Previous presentations on addressing behaviors to be taught when training a dog have highlighted that key behaviors that must be addressed, are actually those of the dog's OWNER, and other humans interacting with the dog. The dog's behaviors tend to follow in line consistent with the degree to which the OWNERs behaviors are adaptive. While other presentations have addressed the wider breadth of human behaviors (overt observed behaviors as well as "private" behaviors of knowledge, attidudes, opionions, etc). this presentation is instead focused in depth on the behaviors of the owner specifically related to the aquistion and intial year of a newly aquired puppy. The unique nature of the puppy's new presence, and the pattenrs of behaviors inherent in xxxx the puppy change, have highlighed enough human behavior change specific to training and nurturing a puppy to warrant a separate presentation. systejmatically identifying and Highlighting specific Behavioral pr9incples and highlighting BEhaiovr approaches to addressing the consistency of the human behavior change required to then effect the training behavior change of the puppy, affords the opportunity to not only improve the quaility of training and life for both the puppy and the owner, but also allows for the dissemijnation of the information and the value of the understanding and applications of the principles of behavrior, and the discipline called Applied Behavior Analysis, to the mainstream psychological and dog owning world. |
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