Comparing lateral bias in dogs and humans using the Kong™ ball test

Wells, Deborah L.; Hepper, Peter; Milligan, Adam D.S.; Barnard, Shanis

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2016.01.010

Cited by 19 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…This is intriguing, since it is the first evidence that clearly indicates a relationship between motor function and visuospatial bias in the animal kingdom, besides humans. The evidence of significant difference between the pawedness groups for the visuospatial food detection task is consistent with reports of a relationship between handedness and lateralization for spatial processes242526, but is in contrast with other studies that have shown the lack of such a relationship272829.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Relationship between visuospatial attention and paw preference in dogs

Siniscalchi

d’Ingeo

Fornelli

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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The relationship between visuospatial attention and paw preference was investigated in domestic dogs. Visuospatial attention was evaluated using a food detection task that closely matches the so-called “cancellation” task used in human studies. Paw preference was estimated by quantifying the dog’s use of forepaws to hold a puzzle feeder device (namely the “Kong”) while eating its content. Results clearly revealed a strong relationship between visuospatial attention bias and motor laterality, with a left-visuospatial bias in the left-pawed group, a right-visuospatial bias in the right-pawed group and with the absence of significant visuospatial attention bias in ambi-pawed subjects. The current findings are the first evidence for the presence of a relationship between motor lateralization and visuospatial attentional mechanisms in a mammal species besides humans.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Relationship between visuospatial attention and paw preference in dogs

Siniscalchi

d’Ingeo

Fornelli

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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“…Consequently, it is essential to correctly categorize subjects as left-or right-pawed, choosing a motor test that provides reliable information about dogs' dominant paw, in order to make inference about dogs' dominant hemisphere and their ability to cope with stress. Wells et al [48] recently investigated whether dogs use their dominant paw in the most common motor test employed in this species, namely the Kong test. They found that dogs use their non-dominant paw to stabilize the Kong to obtain food and their dominant paw for postural support.…”

Section: Paw Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is now a growing body of literature on motor lateralization in dogs, focused mainly on behavioural lateralization in the form of forelimb preferential use. In recent studies, paw preference has been assessed using several tasks: removal of a adhesive plaster from the eye [17,37] or of a piece of tape from the nose [38][39][40][41][42], removal of a blanket from the head [43], retrieval of food [44,45] from a toy object (namely the "Kong", see Figure 2) [46][47][48][49][50] or a metal can [43], paw-shaking [43], first foot placed forward to depart from a standing or sitting position [49,51] or during a run [52] and stabilization of a ball [39] and hindlimb raising behaviour during urination [53]. The existence of motor asymmetries at a population level is currently a subject of wide debate.…”

Section: Paw Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lateralized Functions in the Dog Brain

2017

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Understanding the complementary specialisation of the canine brain has been the subject of increasing scientific study over the last 10 years, chiefly due to the impact of cerebral lateralization on dog behaviour. In particular, behavioural asymmetries, which directly reflect different activation of the two sides of the dog brain, have been reported at different functional levels, including motor and sensory. The goal of this review is not only to provide a clear scenario of the experiments carried out over the last decade but also to highlight the relationships between dogs' lateralization, cognitive style and behavioural reactivity, which represent crucial aspect relevant for canine welfare.

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“…The subjects' paw preferences were tested using a Kong TM ball (KONG Company, Golden, CO, USA), the most commonly employed method of assessing motor asymmetry in the domestic dog (Batt, Batt & McGreevy, 2007;Batt, Baguley & McGreevy, 2008;Branson & Rogers, 2006;Marshall-Pescini et al 2013;Schneider, Delfabbro & Burns, 2013;Tomkins, Thomson & McGreevy, 2010;Wells et al 2016). A medium-sized Kong TM ball was used for testing.…”

Section: Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The following study examines the relationship between motor asymmetry and cognitive bias in the domestic dog, a species that has been shown to display both lateralised motor bias in the form of paw preferences (e.g., Branson & Rogers, 2006;Marshall-Pescini et al 2013;Wells, 2003;Wells, Hepper, Milligan & Barnard, 2016) and exhibit positive and negative affective states as assessed by cognitive bias tests (Burman et al 2011;Mendl et al 2010;Titulaer et al 2013) and other measures, e.g. approach-withdrawal responses, asymmetric tail-wagging, cardiac activity (Siniscalchi, Lusito, Vallortigara & Quaranta, 2013;Quaranta, Siniscalchi & Vallortigara, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive bias and paw preference in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris).

Wells¹,

Hepper²,

Milligan³

et al. 2017

Journal of Comparative Psychology

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Limb use, an indicator of hemispheric functioning, may be a useful predictor of cognitive bias and hence vulnerability to welfare risk. The relationship between cognitive bias and motor asymmetry, however, has been subject to little investigation. This study explored the association between motor asymmetry and cognitive bias in the domestic dog, a species that displays lateral bias in the form of paw preferences and exhibits positive and negative affective states. Thirty pet dogs had their paw preferences assessed using the Kong ball test. The subjects' affective state was assessed using a cognitive bias test in which the animals' latency to approach a bowl placed in 1 of 3 ambiguous positions was recorded. Animals veering more toward a left-paw preference were found to be significantly slower to approach the bowl placed in 1 of the ambiguous positions than ambilateral or right-pawed dogs. Left-pawed subjects approached the bowl located at the 3 ambiguous positions at roughly the same speed, while ambilateral and right-pawed animals became increasingly slower to approach the bowl the further it was located from the baited food bowl. The study points to a possible relationship between cognitive bias and paw preference in the dog, with left-pawed animals being more negative or "pessimistic" in their cognitive outlook than right-pawed or ambilateral individuals. It is proposed that limb preference testing might offer a more practical and straightforward way of identifying individuals at risk from poor welfare by virtue of how they perceive the world than more time-consuming cognitive bias tests.

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Comparing lateral bias in dogs and humans using the Kong™ ball test

Cited by 19 publications

References 60 publications

Relationship between visuospatial attention and paw preference in dogs

Relationship between visuospatial attention and paw preference in dogs

Lateralized Functions in the Dog Brain

Cognitive bias and paw preference in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris).

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