(Press-News.org) Contact information: Barbara Bockstahler
barbara.bockstahler@vetmeduni.ac.at
43-125-077-5320
University of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna
Under pressure
A harness for guide dogs must suit both dog and owner
Guide dogs lend their eyes to blind people, enabling them to find their way around in an environment they cannot see. Guide dogs require about four years of training and fully trained animals can cost over 30,000 Euro. It is thus important for financial reasons as well as because of animal welfare considerations to ensure that guide dogs are comfortable in their work. A proper harness that enables good communication between the blind person and the dog is an important factor in the animal's well-being, while a poorly fitting harness may result in health problems and impaired communication between dog and owner.
The dog's chest experiences the most tension
Barbara Bockstahler, Christian Peham and colleagues examined the distribution of pressure in working guide dogs by placing pressure sensors beneath the harnesses. Eight guide dogs were filmed with a trainer while climbing steps, avoiding obstacles, turning left and right and walking straight ahead. To visualize the movements, the animals, the trainers and the harnesses were equipped with reflective markers. The positions of the markers were recorded by a total of ten cameras.
The results showed that the bottom right of the animals' chests is particularly stressed. As Bockstahler explains, "Guide dogs walk under constant tension. They are usually on their owners' right and in front of them." The scientists found that the pressure on the right side of a dog's chest may equate to up to 10 per cent of the animal's weight. In contrast, the dog's back experiences far less pressure. "It is important for guide dogs to exercise regularly without a harness to compensate for the lopsided pressure they experience in their work", says Bockstahler.
Flexible harnesses cause less stress
Very rigid harnesses enable quick and finely tuned communication between dogs and owners but cause stress to the animals. The more stiffly the harness is anchored to the handle, the more pressure the animal experiences. The most comfortable harness relies on a hook-and-loop connection, which provides the least pressure on the dog, although for long-haired dogs a plastic clip version is favourable. Rigid metal links are the most stressful for the animals and one of the harnesses tested even restricted the movement of the spine and the front limbs. As Peham notes, "The importance of matching the dog to its owner is well known: the blind person should suit the dog not only in character but also in size. But it seems that the choice of harness is also vital. Flexible and adjustable harnesses, e.g. with telescopic handles, are ideal." Of course, the choice of harness is not always straightforward and Peham is quick to recognize the need to extend the group's research, "We should study guide dogs for a longer period of time to find out whether any of the harnesses are associated with long-term problems in the animals. We are still looking for partners and sponsors for the work".
The study "Evaluation of the pressure distribution under three different types of harnesses for guide dogs", by Christian Peham, Simone Limbeck, Kristin Galla and Barbara Bockstahler was recently published in the Veterinary Journal.
INFORMATION:
About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna is the only academic and research institution in Austria that focuses on the veterinary sciences. About 1200 employees and 2300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna, which also houses the animal hospital and various spin-off-companies. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at
Scientific Contact:
Dr. Barbara Bockstahler
Small Animal Surgery
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)
T +43 1 25077-5320
M +43 1 25077-6616
barbara.bockstahler@vetmeduni.ac.at
Released by:
Felizitas Steindl
Public Relations
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)
T +43 1 25077-1152
felizitas.steindl@vetmeduni.ac.at
Under pressure
A harness for guide dogs must suit both dog and owner
2014-01-02
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Scientists uncover hidden river of rubbish threatening to devastate wildlife
2014-01-02
Scientists uncover hidden river of rubbish threatening to devastate wildlife
Thousands of pieces of plastic have been discovered, submerged along the river bed of the upper Thames Estuary by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London and ...
Scientists explain age-related obesity: Brown fat fails
2014-01-02
Scientists explain age-related obesity: Brown fat fails
New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that platelet-activating factor receptors cause increased adiposity and weight gain, and regulating these receptors could lead to ...
Money talks when ancient Antioch meets Google Earth
2014-01-02
Money talks when ancient Antioch meets Google Earth
There's a map of an ancient Syrian trade route that shows how one city's political sway extended farther than once thought.
This map isn't a time-worn and mysterious etching on a stone tablet. Turns out it's ...
Want a good night's sleep in the new year? Quit smoking
2014-01-02
Want a good night's sleep in the new year? Quit smoking
New research in The FASEB Journal identifies the mechanism by which tobacco smoke affects the expression of clock genes in the lung and resets levels of locomotor activity in ...
No scrounging for scraps: UC research uncovers the diets of the middle and lower class in Pompeii
2014-01-02
No scrounging for scraps: UC research uncovers the diets of the middle and lower class in Pompeii
University of Cincinnati archaeologists are turning up discoveries in the famed Roman city of Pompeii that are wiping out the historic perceptions of how the Romans dined, ...
Researchers find ways to minimize power grid disruptions from wind power
2014-01-02
Researchers find ways to minimize power grid disruptions from wind power
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Johns Hopkins University have found that an increase in the use of wind power generation can make the power grid more fragile and ...
When being called 'incredibly good' is bad for children
2014-01-02
When being called 'incredibly good' is bad for children
Study shows inflated praise can harm kids with low self-esteem
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Parents and other adults heap the highest praise on children who are most likely to be hurt by the compliments, a new study finds.
Researchers ...
Survival rates similar for gunshot/stabbing victims whether brought to the hospital by police or EMS
2014-01-02
Survival rates similar for gunshot/stabbing victims whether brought to the hospital by police or EMS
Philadelphia 'Scoop and Run' penetrating trauma victims studied over 5-year period
PHILADELPHIA - A new study from the Perelman ...
Study supports a causal role in narcolepsy for a common genetic variant
2014-01-02
Study supports a causal role in narcolepsy for a common genetic variant
Results show a remarkable genetic association of almost 100 percent
DARIEN, IL – A new study conducted across Europe found an extraordinary association between narcolepsy and a specific ...
Study finds patients give 'broad endorsement' to stem cell research
2014-01-02
Study finds patients give 'broad endorsement' to stem cell research
In an early indication of lay opinions on research with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are stem cells made from skin or other tissues, a new study by bioethicists at Johns Hopkins University ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?
Pink skies
Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research
Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered
% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?
An app can change how you see yourself at work
NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals
New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China
Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds
Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea
New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea
Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes
Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others
Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke
Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition
Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life
Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy
Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming
Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly
Alcohol makes male flies sexy
TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income
Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs
AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders
First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes
Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows
Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission
UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages
In pancreatic cancer, a race against time
[Press-News.org] Under pressureA harness for guide dogs must suit both dog and owner