Examinationsarbetet syftade till att, utifrån utbildade sociala tjänstehundförares perspektiv, utforska hur utbildade sociala tjänstehundar används i olika områden av socialt arbete. Vidare syftade undersökningen till att undersöka vilka för- och nackdelar utbildade tjänstehundförare upplever med hundassisterat socialt arbete. I undersökningen genomfördes elva kvalitativa intervjuer med elva sociala tjänstehundsförare vilka är aktiva inom olika typer av socialt arbete i Sverige. I analysen användes det sociala stödet som teoretisk utgångspunkt. I likhet med tidigare forskning indikerade resultatet att sociala tjänstehundar har ett brett och mångfacetterat användningsområde i socialt arbete. Hunden kan användas och på flera sätt verka instrumentellt, emotionellt och relationellt stödjande inom olika verksamheter. Hundar kan exempelvis användas i både målinriktade insatser i olika typer av stöd, behandling och utredningssammanhang samt i insatser där fokus ligger vid motivation och samvaro. Vidare upplevde sociala tjänstehundförare att hunden på flera sätt har en positiv påverkan på klienter i det sociala arbetet samt att hunden underlättar för hundförare i deras arbete då hunden exempelvis bidrar i uppbyggnaden av en arbetsallians och underlättar i samtal. Hundförarna upplevde att den tidkrävande aspekt som det hundassisterade sociala arbetet medför kan vara negativ. Vidare upplevde hundförarna de utmaningar som verksamhetsledningar, kollegor och samhällsopinionens inställningar till hundassisterat arbete, allergier och hundrädsla medför som en negativ aspekt med arbetet. / The purpose of this essay was to explore how formally trained social service dogs can be used as a resource in various areas of social work, based upon the perspectives of formally trained social service dog handlers. Secondly, to also examine the benefits and disadvantages social service dog handlers experience with dog assisted social work. The essay consists of eleven individual qualitative interviews with formally trained social service dog handlers, whom represent various fields within social work in Sweden. The social support theory was used in the analysis as the theoretical framework. In accordance with previous scientific research, the results of the study indicate that social service dogs have a wide variety of uses within the field of social work. They can provide clients with various types of emotional, instrumental and relational support within several different fields of social work. Social service dogs can be used in goal-oriented interventions for treatment, supportive and investigative purposes, as well as interventions with the purpose to motivate and promote social interaction. The handlers considered their dogs to have a variety of positive impacts on the clients and regarded that they could assist and facilitate the handlers in their work. For example, the dogs could facilitate the establishment of a work alliance and act supportive during difficult conversations. The handlers considered the time-consuming aspect of dog assisted social work as a disadvantage. However, they perceived challenges such as the attitude from management, colleagues and public opinion regarding allergies and fear of dogs as a negative aspect. / <p></p><p></p>

Studiens syfte var att undersöka terapeuters erfarenheter av att arbeta med hundassisterad terapi med kvalitativ metod. Studien bygger på intervjuer med sex yrkesutövare som inkluderade terapihund i sitt klientarbete. Datainsamlingen bearbetades med en tematisk analys vilken gav fyra huvudteman. Kontextuella terapifaktorer, Terapiprocess, Påverkan på terapeutroll och verksamhet och Terapihunden som terapeutisk agent. Resultatet visar att terapihund kan användas som en icke-verbal terapiingrediens, den erbjuder en brygga vid terapialliansbyggande och den inkluderar beröring. Terapeuterna uppfattas ha ett utvidgat ansvar som terapihundförare, och de förefaller ta hand om terapihundarna med stor lyhördhet, vilket ger intrycket att djurens välfärd kan påverkas positivt. Terapihundarna väljs ut och tränas utifrån lämplighet och deras beteenden bygger på väl utvecklade sinnen och ett eget känsloregister. I analysen tolkas terapirelationen som inte bara dyadisk utan också triadisk. I diskussionen konceptualiseras terapihunden från en tvåpersonspsykologisk position. Denna modell föreslår att terapihunden bör erkännas som ett tredje subjekt i den terapeutiska triaden med sin egen subjektivitet, snarare än som endast ett verktyg som kan användas i en terapimetod. Resultatet kopplas till tidigare forskning och framtida forskningsområden diskuteras. / The aim of this study was to investigate how therapists experience their use of dog-assisted therapy with qualitative method. The study is built on interviews with six professionals who included therapy dogs in their work with clients. The empirical data was analyzed thematically and four main themes emerged: Contextual therapy factors, Therapy process, Impact on the therapist role and on the working place and The therapy dog as a therapeutic agent. The results showed that therapy dogs can be utilized as a non-verbal ingredience and as a bridge building alliance and they can offer tactile stimulation. The therapists are perceived to have an expanded responsibility as dog instructors and they seem to care for their therapy dogs with high sensitivity, which gives the impression that it may affect the animals’ welfare positively. The therapy dogs are selected and trained by criteria of suitability and their behaviours are built on their perceptual abilitys and their own emotional range. In the analysis the therapeutic relationship is interpreted as not only dyadic but also triadic. In the discussion the therapy dog is conceptualized from a two-person psychological position. Such a model proposes that the therapy dog should be recognized as a third subject in the therapeutic triad with its’ own subjectivity, rather than only as a tool to be used in a therapeutic method. The findings of the study are related to previous research and future topics of research are discussed.

Humans and dogs have been living close for over 15,000 years, resulting in a unique relationship. The dog-owner relationship can affect stress, and could be affected by contact-seeking behaviour, personalities, and behavioural synchronization. Due to Covid-19, an increase in registered dogs could be observed. This could lead to more dogs being rehomed once the restrictions are eased and people go back to their workplaces, hence the importance of more knowledge concerning rehomed dogs and their behaviour, stress, and the relationship to its new owner. Thirty rehomed dogs (26 owners) and 31 control dogs (28 owners) participated. Dogs and their owners were tested in an unsolvable problem task to observe contact-seeking behaviour, and a behavioural synchronization test was conducted. Afterwards, dogs were equipped with activity collars to measure physical activity and dog-hair was collected to assess long-term stress. In addition, owners completed three questionnaires to assess the dog-owner relationship, and the personalities of the dogs and their owners. The results revealed no significant differences in behavioural synchronization, contact-seeking behaviour, stress, physical activity, or the dog-owner relationship between rehomed and control dogs. However, owners owning a rehomed dog potentially scored higher on the personality trait “agreeableness”, and rehomed dogs were potentially scored as more fearful of handling and less playful than control dogs. In conclusion, there is potentially a difference in personality traits in both dogs and owners between the groups, however, rehomed dogs are similar to control dogs in terms of behavioural synchronization, contact-seeking behaviour, long-term stress, and the dog-owner relationship.

Master of Science / Food Science / Edgar Chambers IV / Palatability of pet foods is judged by the use of animals in colonies. Pet food manufacturers would like to understand how palatable a food is compared to another food. This generally is accomplished by a two pan test where a pet has the opportunity to freely choose between two foods. Preference is evaluated through the use of an intake ratio, the ratio of the amount of test food consumed divided by the total amount of the foods consumed. Although this is easy to do in laboratories, another option would be to do such studies with animals in more ‘real-life’ home environments. The purpose of this study was to develop, and test a method to capture feeding information from a study of canines in the home environment and analyze the results of the palatability tests. Individual dog owners were screened for information on the household and pets. Twenty-five dogs of different ages, breeds and sizes were selected to participate on the in-home panel. Seven different palatability tests were performed using the in-home panel with four of those tests being replicated; a total of 11 comparative tests. These dogs were tested using a proprietary computer-based technology that collected information about intake of each food for each individual dog for a duration of seven days for each of the 11 comparative studies. Data was analyzed and resulted in showing that differences between foods can be found. Statistical analyses compared initial day one data to subsequent day data collected during each study to determine whether a full seven day test was needed. In addition, comparisons were made to compare the impact of prior foods eaten to subsequent preferences of the dogs. Results of the in-home panel were the same on day one as for all seven days of testing. Also, previous exposure to a food did not alter subsequent preference for that food. Such data has implications for pet food manufacturers related to timing and cost of testing.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biology / Jack F. Cully, Jr. / Dispersal remains one of the most important, yet least understood, life history traits. As the vehicle of gene flow among populations, dispersal can both relieve inbreeding depression and prevent local adaptation. Regionally, dispersal can stabilize or destabilize metapopulations, given its critical roles in disease transmission among populations as well as recolonization following local extinction events. Furthermore, in light of climate change and increasing habitat loss and fragmentation, the ability to navigate through unfamiliar, unsuitable habitat between populations is essential to the long-term survival of a species across its range. In my dissertation, I present a multi-scale investigation of factors affecting gene flow and disease transmission among populations of a keystone species and an agricultural pest of the North American prairie: the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Black-tailed prairie dogs are social, ground-dwelling squirrels that live in spatially isolated populations called colonies. First, we conducted a landscape genetic analysis of black-tailed prairie dogs throughout a large portion of their current range. Our estimates of gene flow indicate that the genetic neighborhood size of both male and female prairie dogs reaches 40-60 km within short-grass prairie, whereas colonies within mixed-grass prairie are more isolated. At a broad scale, we observed isolation-by-distance among colonies and great influence of grassland productivity on genetic connectivity; however, neither distance nor landscape characteristics greatly explained observed genetic differentiation among colonies separated by < 50 km. Last, we investigated whether landscape features could predict disease transmission patterns of sylvatic plague among colonies in short-grass prairie and found evidence that pastures act as corridors for plague transmission. Our results indicate that black-tailed prairie dogs are more resilient to habitat loss and fragmentation than other obligate grassland species and likely capable of transmitting sylvatic plague over long distances. Taken together, these studies illustrate how a multi-scale approach can reveal complexities of dispersal dynamics that would otherwise remain undetected.

The thesis is performed in order to improve the curvic coupled engagement of a dog clutch situated in the transfer case of a truck. The dog clutch is used to engage the so called all-wheel-drive system of the truck. If the driver tries to engage the all-wheel-drive when truck’s rear wheels already skid, due to a slippery surface a relative rotational speed in the dog clutch will occur. This relative rotational speed will cause the dog clutch to bounce back of itself before engagement, or to not engage at all. The dog clutch has been redesigned to prevent this. Dynamic simulations using MD Adams have been made for the existing model, for the models created in previous works, and for the new model in order to figure out which of them will show the most stable engagement, at high relative rotational speed. The implemented simulations show that better results can be obtained. Separation into two parts of the disc pushed by the fork, shows that dog clutch’s engagement is faster and more stable, comparing to the original model and the other created models. The new model shows better coupling in the whole range of the relative rotational speed from 50 up to 120rpm.

Objects can evoke our most vivid memories and sensory emotions, through the stories that have been engraved into them across their lifetime. Throughout history, patchwork-quilting has been used to tell stories, hide messages and hold histories. They are seen as objects of warmth, comfort and security, inanimate extensions of ourselves that store our most complex sentiments and memories- becoming heirlooms that are kept in the families and communities for generations, preserving our histories and material culture.    I intend to explore the inseparable relationship between craft and narrative within quilts, whilst re-imagining the quilts forms and functions in order to communicate stories more vividly. To do so I will use my memories of My Dead Dog, Henry, to illustrate narratives and embed them into quilted objects to stage as a tableau of artifacts. I intend to encourage the viewer to realise the imagined, through a haptic experience of my material world, whilst simultaneously creating my own heirlooms that can be passed down so my stories are not forgotten. / <p>The full thesis contains copyrighted material</p><p>which has been removed in the published version</p>

We classify animals into a few distinct groups: companion animals (pets and strays like dogs and cats), utility animals (animals that serve a purpose like cows farmed for dairy or meat or foxes farmed for fur), and wild animals (nondomestic animals in their natural habitat). This study will investigate empathic relationships between people and animals of these four types in two abuse scenarios (active abuse and neglect). These factors were manipulated in a 2x4 experimental design. I expect a closer relationship with humans will correlate with a higher degree of empathy for the victim such that homed companion animals will generate the most empathy, followed by stray, utility, and finally wild. Results supported this hypothesis to an extent. This research is intended to bridge gaps between empathy towards humans and empathy towards other animals. If we can manipulate the degree to which people tend to relate to animals by varying our descriptions of these animals, we can also manipulate people’s desire to protect them.

This essay is set out to study the interactions between children and dogs in a preschool environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate if the dog has any educational value for the children and if the dog can be of any help to the children to fulfill the Swedish preschool curriculum aims. The method used in this study is grounded theory. Data consist of interviews with preschool teachers whom have experience in working with dogs and children. Data has also been collected through observations between children and dogs in a preschool environment. Diary writing and interviews with persons with longtime experience of working with dogs have also been used. Through this data a grounded theory is finally generated. The grounded theory in this study consist of a core category - “experience”, and is divided into four subcategory’s; “development and learning”, “values”, “Child” and “Dog”. The theory highlights the fact that dogs do have a value for the children in their individual development and progression in values. The children also perceive the dog as a friend to play with, and a place where they can seek and get comfort and safety. The dog on its behalf can be construed as it appreciates the work, being around people and a part of a pack.

The cancer stem cell hypothesis has recently re-emerged as a compelling paradigm for the development and progression of neoplastic disease. The hypothesis proposes that a specific subset of “cancer stem cells” (CSC), believed to share many features with normal stem cells, is exclusively responsible for maintaining tumour growth and driving progression. If the CSC hypothesis applies, it may require re-evaluation of the clinical approach to neoplasia. Spontaneous cancer in the domestic dog represents a significant welfare problem, with dogs developing many tumours strongly reminiscent of those affecting humans. This study sought to investigate whether cells with characteristics of CSC are identifiable in canine cancer. Assays to identify, isolate and characterise CSC were adapted to the canine system, and cancer cell lines and spontaneous tumours of diverse origin evaluated for the presence of candidate populations. Whilst analysis of surface expression patterns did not identify specific subpopulations within canine cancer cell lines, these were detectable in cells derived directly from primary tumours. Assays for stem cellassociated drug resistance mechanisms could also be used to identify subsets of putative canine CSC. Formation of “tumourspheres” by canine cancer cell lines was found to be highly density-dependent, so a potentially unreliable method of isolating CSC. Expression of the cell surface glycoprotein CD44 was associated with cellular proliferation status, although it may not represent a stable canine CSC marker. The NFκB survival pathway, associated with apoptosis resistance of some putative CSC, was constitutively active in canine cancer cell lines; suppression using specific inhibitors could reduce cell viability, indicating that this may represent a rational therapeutic target. Overall, these studies demonstrated that CSC assays may be adapted to the canine model system, although they require rigorous interrogation to distinguish apparent CSC attributes from basic biological properties. Cell lines have provided a stable background upon which to optimise assays, but appear less likely to demonstrate discrete CSC subpopulations. Putative CSC subsets may be more readily identifiable within heterogeneous primary tumour cells. The application of some of these adapted assays within a clinical setting may enable further characterisation of individual patients’ tumours, and inform therapeutic regimes for improved treatment outcomes.