Papers by Ivona Svobodová
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Sep 1, 2015
Reviews summarizing the literature on heritability of behavioural traits in dogs have been publis... more Reviews summarizing the literature on heritability of behavioural traits in dogs have been published repeatedly over the last four decades. The conclusions of these reviews vary to some extent. We applied meta-analysis and re-evaluated the literature available collecting 48 references dealing with heritability of behavioural traits in domestic dogs. For each study included, data was extracted for individual behavioural traits. Each of these traits was entered into the analysis as a separate unit of measure, giving a total of 1763 measures. We classified the traits measured in each study into five functional categories (Environment, Herding, Hunting, Play, and Psychical characteristic). The meta-analysis has shown low general heritability of the categorised behavioural traits analysed. Thus, the commonly used behaviour tests for many breeds, to determine the dog's eligibility for reproducing, traditionally required by many associations, is not supported by the present results of the meta-analysis.
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Sep 1, 2008
Behavioral activity of 7-week-old German shepherd puppies was tested and the activities analyzed ... more Behavioral activity of 7-week-old German shepherd puppies was tested and the activities analyzed if they could be used for predicting police efficiency of the individual. In total 206 individuals sired by 42 sires and 44 dams were used. The activities were divided into 10 tasks in which reactions and behavior of pups were scored from 0 to 5 points. All pups were tested separately from other conspecifics. Probability that the puppy will pass the certification was tested by a logistic regression. Of the 206 puppies, 148 passed the certification while 58 failed. Some tested behavioral variables were moderately to highly correlated with one another. Therefore we applied a factor analysis. Three factors were retained accounting for 100% of the shared variance. After inspection of the rotated factor pattern matrix and its confidence intervals, it appeared that variables ''Independent movement and interactions with the tester'', ''Negotiating obstacles'', ''Entering a room'', ''Behavior toward a person'', and ''Behavior in new environments'' loaded on Factor 1 (''Factor for movement''), while variables ''Response to distracting stimuli caused by a shovel'', ''Response to a distracting noise while left alone in a room'', and ''Response to loud distracting stimuli'' on Factor 2 (''Factor for responding to noise'') and variables ''Retrieval'' and ''Tug of war'' on Factor 3 (''Factor for attitude to predation''). In the final logistic regression model, the probability that the puppy will pass the certification depended on the higher weight at the time of testing (x 2 ð1Þ ¼ 12:00, P = 0.0005), on the ''Factor for attitude to predation'' (x 2 ð1Þ ¼ 11:63, P = 0.0007), on the ''Factor for responding to noise'', where the higher the score, the weaker was the response (x 2 ð1Þ ¼ 5:16, P = 0.0232), and on the ''Factor for movement'' showing an increasing probability with decreasing score (x 2 ð1Þ ¼ 5:25, P = 0.0219). The tests in our study seem to be a good base which might enable selection for suitable dogs as early as 7 weeks of age. The puppies having high probability to pass certification in adulthood were heavy individuals willing to
PLOS ONE, May 3, 2018
The period of early ontogeny constitutes a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is hi... more The period of early ontogeny constitutes a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is highly susceptible to external stimuli. Thus, early development plays a major role in shaping later adult behavior. The aim of the study was to check whether stimulating puppies at this early stage in life with sound would improve their responsiveness towards unfamiliar noises during the selection process of the police behavioral test for puppies. The cohort comprised 37 puppies from the litters of three mothers. At the commencement of the experiment the dogs were aged 16 days, rising to the age of 32 days at its close. The mothers and litters of the treatment group were either exposed to radio broadcasts, (see below; three litters totaling 19 puppies), while the control group was not exposed to any radio programs (eight litters totaling 18 puppies). All three mothers had previously experienced both auditory circumstances, as described herein. Ordinary radio broadcasts were played to the puppies in the treatment group three times a day for 20 minute periods, always during feeding time. The cohort was subjected to the so-called Puppy Test, i.e. analysis of the potential of each animal, once the dogs had reached the age of 7 weeks. Such tests included exposure to a sudden noise caused by a shovel (100 dB), noise when alone in a room, and response to loud distracting stimuli (the latter two at 70 dB). Said tasks were rated by the same analyst on a scale of 0-5 points; the better the response of the dog, the higher the score given. The differences between the treatment and control groups were analyzed via Mixed Models (PROC MIXED) in SAS. The animals comprising the treatment group responded with a higher score to the sudden noise caused by the shovel than the control dogs (P<0.01). Interestingly, gender was seen to affect response, with the males scoring more than the females (P<0.1). In conclusion, the results suggested that audio stimulation early in life improved the response of the dogs to intense sudden noise, as caused by the shovel. Therefore, acoustic stimulation during the very early period of life has the potential to raise the necessary skills of dogs for military and police purposes, or civilian life.
Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Domestic Animal Endocrinology, Jul 1, 2020
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2020
A fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive strain (GSD1FST) was isolated from a faecal sampl... more A fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive strain (GSD1FST) was isolated from a faecal sample of a 3 weeks old German Shepherd dog. The closest related taxa to isolate GSD1FST based on results from the EZBioCloud database were Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis ATCC 25527T, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140T and Bifidobacterium anseris LMG 30189T, belonging to the Bifidobacterium pseudolongum phylogenetic group. The resulting 16S rRNA gene identities (compared length of 1454 nucleotides) towards these taxa were 97.30, 97.23 and 97.09 %, respectively. The pairwise similarities of strain GSD1FST using argS, atpA, fusA, hsp60, pyrG, rpsC, thrS and xfp gene fragments to all valid representatives of the B. pseudolongum phylogenetic group were in the concatenated range of 83.08–88.34 %. Phylogenomic analysis based on whole-genome methods such as average nucleotide identity revealed that bifidobacterial strain GSD1FST exhibits close phylogenetic relatedness (88.17...
Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 2016
Dogs are companions of humans since time beyond memory and their use in rehabilitation processes ... more Dogs are companions of humans since time beyond memory and their use in rehabilitation processes is increasingly frequent. Dogs can be used for animal-assisted activities (AAA) as well as animal-assisted therapy (AAT). The effects, however, have not been fully demonstrated, reasons for this including difficulties in providing evidence of positive action. According to previous studies, there is a decrease in heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure reduction, more positive mood as well as warming of muscles, which promotes relaxation of spastic areas. Regulation of hormone levels might also occur as a result of AAA/AAT. Indeed, increases in oxytocin levels and decreases of cortisol have been found. However, a unified methodology for clear measuring the entire impact of AAA/AAT on patients is missing. This survey evaluated different methods for measuring the effects of AAA/AAT, with results showing that the most suitable ones, selected on the basis of the effect of rehabilitation, c...
For this study certified flocks of Slovak Goose and Suchovska Goose controlled by the Czech Goose... more For this study certified flocks of Slovak Goose and Suchovska Goose controlled by the Czech Goose and the Czech Crested Goose Breeders Club, were used. Parameters analyzed were: total number of birds, number of breeding males and number of breeding females, effective population size following the categorization by Simon and Buchenauer (1993) and Wright (1931). Populations of analyzed breeds of geese were categorized by Scherf (2000). We found the lowest number of Slovak Goose in the year 2001 (34 birds), while the highest number of poultry was detected in the year 2005 (83 birds). The effective population size of Slovak Goose varied widely from 28.24 to 76.86 pcs, with average of 56.26 pcs. We categorized the Slovak Goose as a critical breed. In case of the Suchovska Goose we detected the lowest total number in the year 2003 (67 birds) and highest number in the year 2005 (143 birds). Minimal effective population size of Suchovska Goose ranged from 57.78 to 125.33 pcs, with average of 96.72 pcs. Suchovska Goose was also categorized as a critical breed. The total number of Czech Goose was the highest in the year 2000, where 226 birds were bred, the lowest number being in the year 2008 (111 birds). The effective population size was in the range from 101.20 to 168.50 pcs, with average effective population size of 116.03 pcs. The Czech Goose was categorized as endangered from the year 2000 to 2003 and was maintained with an active conservation programme. From the year 2004 to 2008 it was a critically-maintained breed with an active conservation programme in place. The highest total number of Czech Crested Goose was noted in the year 2004 (39 birds), the lowest number in the year 2005 (25 birds). The effective population size was in the range from 23.04 to 34.67 pcs, with an average size of 29.49 pcs. The Czech Crested Goose was also categorized as critically-maintained breed with an active conservation programme in place.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Human–Animal interaction (HAI) refers to any contact between humans and animals. Despite the lack... more Human–Animal interaction (HAI) refers to any contact between humans and animals. Despite the lack of standardized measures of evaluation, one possible tool is the Human Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS). This study aimed to evaluate it in Czech language and to verify its use in clinical settings. One group of participants included 85 non-clinical volunteers; the second included 22 clinical participants, who were hospitalized in a long-term inpatient department All participants filled out the HAIS, the Companion Animal Bonding Scale (CABS) and the Companion Animal Semantic Differential (CASD). The Czech HAIS achieved similarly good psychometric properties as the original scale. The Cronbach’s alpha showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.920) in the sample of volunteers, but low internal consistency (α = 0.656) in the group of clinical participants. In non-clinical volunteers, all scales and subscales correlated mutually at the p < 0.01 level. In the group of clinical participants...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Although animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are increasingly part of comprehensive rehabilitati... more Although animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are increasingly part of comprehensive rehabilitation and many of its effects are already well described, the methodology for performing AAI depends on the specific patient, animal, and treatment objective. Acceptability of AAI from all involved members is a little explored area. Thus, 214 respondents (32 AAI clients, 146 family members, and 36 healthcare and social care workers; 98 males, 116 females; mean age 46.3 years (±16.5 SD)) completed a list of statements focused on AAI with a dog. This list was distributed directly in nursing homes, retirement homes, and in households with home hospice care. All statements were rated on a Likert scale of 0–3. The results show that AAI is generally very well received, with over 90% of respondents considering AAI to be beneficial. The perception of AAI and trusting the handler with their dog was evaluated very positively, as well as possible concerns about hygiene. The results were in many cases ...
BMC Public Health, 2019
Background Many studies have shown that having a dog has an impact on the increase in physical ac... more Background Many studies have shown that having a dog has an impact on the increase in physical activity (PA) of people. However, what is often not taken into account in many such studies is owning of other pets. The aim of this study was to compare PA levels between animal owners and non-owners and to research potential differences between owners of different kinds of animals. Method 111 young females of mean age 21 ± 1.2 years enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Czech version of short International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess PA level, supplemented with a question about whether they owned an animal and what kind. Results People who owned a pet had higher frequency and duration of moderate physical activity (MPA) and spent more MET/min/wk. (p
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019
Physical activity (PA) is crucial for maintaining good health of older adults and owning a dog an... more Physical activity (PA) is crucial for maintaining good health of older adults and owning a dog and walking it can enforce it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dog ownership on PA in older adults as well as its positive impact on perceived degree of health, and sleep. There were 44 participants of mean age 68 ± 5.4 years (18 males, 26 females) enrolled in this study (dog owners—DO, n = 26; non-dog owners—NDO, n = 18). Xiaomi Mi Band 2 accelerometer, International Physical Activity Questionnaire- Short form (IPAQ-Short Form) and SF-36 questionnaires were used to measure the level of PA, sleep, and subjective health. A statistically significant difference was observed in favor of dog owners in most of the monitored parameters. All accelerometer PA parameters (step count, activity time, distance, calories) showed a significant difference at a p < 0.01. Sleep parameters were significant in total sleep length (p = 0.05) and light sleep length (p < 0.05). DO re...
PLOS ONE, 2018
The period of early ontogeny constitutes a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is hi... more The period of early ontogeny constitutes a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is highly susceptible to external stimuli. Thus, early development plays a major role in shaping later adult behavior. The aim of the study was to check whether stimulating puppies at this early stage in life with sound would improve their responsiveness towards unfamiliar noises during the selection process of the police behavioral test for puppies. The cohort comprised 37 puppies from the litters of three mothers. At the commencement of the experiment the dogs were aged 16 days, rising to the age of 32 days at its close. The mothers and litters of the treatment group were either exposed to radio broadcasts, (see below; three litters totaling 19 puppies), while the control group was not exposed to any radio programs (eight litters totaling 18 puppies). All three mothers had previously experienced both auditory circumstances, as described herein. Ordinary radio broadcasts were played to the puppies in the treatment group three times a day for 20 minute periods, always during feeding time. The cohort was subjected to the so-called Puppy Test, i.e. analysis of the potential of each animal, once the dogs had reached the age of 7 weeks. Such tests included exposure to a sudden noise caused by a shovel (100 dB), noise when alone in a room, and response to loud distracting stimuli (the latter two at 70 dB). Said tasks were rated by the same analyst on a scale of 0-5 points; the better the response of the dog, the higher the score given. The differences between the treatment and control groups were analyzed via Mixed Models (PROC MIXED) in SAS. The animals comprising the treatment group responded with a higher score to the sudden noise caused by the shovel than the control dogs (P<0.01). Interestingly, gender was seen to affect response, with the males scoring more than the females (P<0.1). In conclusion, the results suggested that audio stimulation early in life improved the response of the dogs to intense sudden noise, as caused by the shovel. Therefore, acoustic stimulation during the very early period of life has the potential to raise the necessary skills of dogs for military and police purposes, or civilian life.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019
A stroke is a condition that can give rise to consequences such as cognitive and physical constra... more A stroke is a condition that can give rise to consequences such as cognitive and physical constraints, which sometimes manifest in the psychological condition of the patient. Such patients commence rehabilitation as soon as is possible, which involves a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. One aspect of complementary rehabilitation could be animal-assisted therapy (AAT). A total of 15 individuals were split into an experimental group comprising 6 patients (2 males, 4 females), and a control group of 9 patients (3 males, 6 females). The participants in the control group were aged from 43 to 87 years and the experimental group featured participants aged from 45 to 76 years. Both groups received standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy. In addition, the experimental group was supplemented with AAT, with the animal in question being a dog. The tools primarily applied to measure the outcomes were the Barthel index, blood pressure, and heart rate measurements, whereas the Like...
Anthrozoös, 2018
Developmental dysphasia (DD) is a disorder resulting in a communication impairment. Children diag... more Developmental dysphasia (DD) is a disorder resulting in a communication impairment. Children diagnosed with this condition are usually referred to a speech therapist. Further to conventional speech therapy it is possible to adopt a complementary animal-assisted approach. For the present study, we assembled a cohort comprising 69 children diagnosed with DD. the children in the experimental group (n = 31; 21 male, 10 female) ranged from 4 to 7 years (M = 5.53 years, SD = 0.81 years). the control group was comprised of children (n = 38; 31 male, 7 female) aged from 4 to 6 years (M = 4.85 years, SD = 0.51 years). While the latter received traditional speech therapy, the experimental group experienced sessions enhanced by animalassistance therapy (aat) with a dog present for co-therapy purposes. as primary outcome measures, the Kwint-Stambak (KS) test was adopted (for assessing facial motricity), together with the Bruininks-Oseretsky (BO) test (for evaluating motor proficiency). Both of these revealed statistically significant improvement in some primary outcome measures for the experimental group over the control group. Regarding narrowing and shutting of the eyes, as well as filling up the cheeks with air and smiling (as measured by the KS test), the experimental group did significantly better than the control group. the inclusion of dogs in such therapy increased the chances of success in certain abilities, when assessed by the KS and BO tests (odds ratios for success: 1.6 and 2.0, respectively), compared with the control group. Canine-assisted
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019
Long-term hospital stays might have a negative psychosocial impact on our patients. One way to po... more Long-term hospital stays might have a negative psychosocial impact on our patients. One way to positively activate hospitalized patients is to introduce animal-assisted therapy (AAT). A total of 72 individuals participated in this research. The experimental group comprised 33 patients (8 males, 25 females), while the control group contained 39 patients (11 men, 28 women). The participants in the control group were aged from 58 to 100 years and the experimental group featured participants aged from 51 to 95, for whom AAT was included alongside standard care. Blood pressure, heart rate, Barthel index, and general mood were measured in both groups. Results did not reveal any changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or Barthel index in comparison between groups. A great influence was noted in assessment of the mood of the patients. The inclusion of AAT did not affect physiological parameters, but it exerted a significant effect on the psychological well-being of the patients.
Primates, 2016
Production of species-and sex-specific vocalisation is a trait characteristic of all gibbons. How... more Production of species-and sex-specific vocalisation is a trait characteristic of all gibbons. However, the mechanisms of gibbon vocalisation ontogeny and the manner of developing sex-specific vocal patterns are not yet known. We recorded vocal behaviour of a juvenile male northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys). The male produced female-specific great calls. Out of 163 great-call sequences recorded during six sessions, the juvenile son joined in 157 cases with its own great call. In addition, we observed that the juvenile male improved the structure of great calls during the study by including the twitter part. Our results indicate an interesting pattern of vocal ontogeny in Nomascus and suggest a certain degree of plasticity in the vocal signalling in gibbons.
Scientific reports, Jan 26, 2016
Among domestic dog breeders it is common practice to transfer a domestic dog bitch out of her hom... more Among domestic dog breeders it is common practice to transfer a domestic dog bitch out of her home environment for mating, bringing her back after the mating. If the home environment contains a male, who is not the father of the foetuses, there is a potential risk of future infanticide. We collected 621 records on mating of 249 healthy bitches of 11 breed-types. The highest proportion of successful pregnancies following mating occurred in bitches mated within their home pack and remaining there. Bitches mated elsewhere and then returned to a home containing at least one male had substantially lower incidence of maintained pregnancy in comparison with bitches mated by a home male. After returning home, housing affected strongly the frequency of pregnancy success. Bitches mated elsewhere but released into a home pack containing a home male were four times more likely to maintain pregnancy than bitches which were housed individually after returning home. Suppression of pregnancy in sit...
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 2016
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clarified egg yolk addition to semen extender... more The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clarified egg yolk addition to semen extender, and the semen collection sequence on the quality of frozen-thawed semen in dogs. Semen was collected from 6 dogs in a time interval of 24 hours. As parameter of the quality of frozen-thawed (F-T) semen, the motility by computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and plasma membrane integrity by hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOS) were evaluated. All kinematic parameters of sperm motility were higher in F-T samples containing the whole in comparison to the clarified egg yolk. The sequence of semen collection affected sperm movement characteristics of native as well as F-T semen, but it was not possible to determine whether the fresh semen from the 1st or 2nd collection is of higher quality. All motility parameters of sperms frozen with extender containing the whole egg yolk were significantly higher in the case of the 2nd collection. The situation was not so clear in the case of clarified egg ...
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Papers by Ivona Svobodová