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Despite the abundance of studies investigating the benefits of having a dog, the specific aspects of dog ownership that impacts human well-being are not well understood. This study used a qualitative approach to create a framework of the main dog-related activities perceived by Brazilian owners to impact their well-being and compared the findings with those of a similar study in England. Thirty-two Brazilian dog owners from the five regions of the country were remotely interviewed. The thematic analysis of the transcripts generated a total of 58 dog-related activities, organised into 13 themes. Most activities were reported to have a positive effect on participants' well-being, accounting for 76.8% of the total number of mentions in the interviews. 'Playing with dog' and 'Dog presence' were the themes most frequently associated with positive well-being outcomes, whereas 'Unwanted behaviours' and 'Failing to meet dog's needs' were the most commonly associated with negative outcomes. The dog-related activities reported by Brazilian dog owners and the well-being outcomes linked to those activities were consistent with the previous British sample in the framework that emerged. These findings suggest reliability between the two methods used to gather data (remote interview versus focus group) and, most importantly, provide consistent cross-cultural evidence for how certain activities impact dog owner's well-being.

Background: Behavioural case loads may vary due to cultural differences, and so it is important to know how these differ with geography., Methods: One hundred and eighty dog cases referred to a veterinary behaviourist in São Paulo (Brazil) during the period of 2008-2014 are described., Results: Aggression against people was the most common behavioural complaint (22.2 per cent of the cases), followed by apparent fears and phobias (13.3 per cent). Forms of aggression against other dogs (12.2 per cent) and repetitive behaviours (11.1 per cent) were third and fourth most frequent, respectively. Female and male patients were equally reported (47.6 and 52.4 per cent, respectively). These results differ slightly from the findings of other international studies, in which aggression was the main behavioural complaint with fears and phobias less common., Conclusion: Regional demographic reviews of the case loads of veterinary behaviour specialists help the profession recognise the problems of most concern to pet owners in a given area and thus local priorities, as well as opening up the potential to generate new hypotheses relating to the reasons for regional differences., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© British Veterinary Association 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Geographical variations in feline behaviour problems exist. The occurrence of feline behaviour problems in different regions are therefore important to prepare professionals for the emerging needs of cat owners., Methods: One-hundred and fifty-five feline behaviour cases that were referred to a veterinary behaviourist in São Paulo (Brazil) during the period 2008-2014 are described., Results: Inter-cat aggression was the main behavioural complaint reported (31%), followed by housesoiling (26.4%). Unlike other international studies, inter-cat aggression was more frequently seen than inappropriate elimination. Oral repetitive behaviours, including problems such as psychogenic alopecia and pica, were also a prevalent problem (ie, 16.8% of the cases). Human-directed aggression accounted for 13.5% of the cases, taking fourth place in the list of the most common feline behavioural problems. Female and male cats were equally likely to be presented (51% and 49% of cases, respectively)., Conclusions: This study highlights potentially geographical or temporal variation in the behavioural problems that need to be recognised by veterinary behaviourists in order to meet the emerging needs of owners., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© British Veterinary Association 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The English version of the Positive and Negative Activation Scale (PANAS) is a useful tool for the assessment of dog temperament, helping to identify highly sensitive individuals that could be at risk of developing fears, phobias and anxiety problems, and potentially depressive states. This study evaluated the association between dogs' and owners' characteristics and dog temperament in Brazil. To accomplish this, we adapted and validated a Portuguese language version of PANAS for dogs. Data from 1744 owner-dog dyads were analysed and a two-factor structure similar to the original PANAS was revealed that met the requirements for validity and internal consistency. We found that dogs owned by women, neutered dogs and those who live in single-dog households show higher negative activation. Moreover, the older the owner, the less the negative activation for dogs that are bought. We also found that the older the dog, the less the positive activation, but this score is higher in dogs that sleep inside the house. Interestingly, mixed-breed dogs scored higher for both negative and positive emotional activation compared to purebreds. These findings alongside the particular profile of dogs in Brazil, including its large population of mixed-breed, emphasise the value of cross-cultural investigations in order to develop a full understanding of dog behaviour.

Aggression by cats towards humans is a serious behavioural, welfare and public health problem, although owners may believe it is an inevitable part of cat ownership. There has been little scientific investigation of the risk factors associated with this problem. One hundred and seven owners in the Sao Paulo region of Brazil, took part in a survey aimed at investigating the perceived prevalence of the problem, defining the most common contexts of human directed aggression and identifying associated potential risk factors. Human directed aggression occurred in 49.5% of cats and was most commonly associated with situations involving petting and play, followed by protection of a resource, when startled, when observing an unfamiliar animal and least commonly when unfamiliar people were present. Pedigree status, neuter status, a history of early trauma, sensitivity to being stroked, the absence of other cats in the home, relationship with other animals, level of background activity at home, access to the outside and tendency to be alone (meaning tendency to staying far from the family members) were all associated with an increased risk in one or more context. However, sex, age, age when acquired, source of pet, attachment to a specific household member, type of domestic accommodation, relationship with another cat if present and contact with other animals did not appear to increase the risk. The results suggest sensitivity to being stroked and background levels of stress in the home are the most pervasive risk factors, and future research should aim to investigate these factors further. These data are of relevance when advising owners about the risk and development of this problem.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by communication and social interaction difficulties, might be positively influenced by animal-assisted activity (AAA). The aim of this study was to investigate the parents' and therapists' perception to behavior in children with ASD after they underwent AAA. The study was performed in a specialized therapeutic center in Curitiba, South of Brazil. A total of 15 children (14 boys and 1 girl), aged 5.6 ± 1.6 years, diagnosed with ASD, underwent at least 10 weekly 30-min AAA sessions. Three trained dogs were used in total, and there were two dogs in each session. Children were free to interact with dogs and among themselves, in groups of 11.2 ± 2.2 children per session, in the presence of therapists, the researcher, and a veterinarian observing the dogs and ensuring safety. The parents and therapists completed two questionnaires on their perception of the children's behavior before and after AAA. A total of 18 visits were necessary to complete the 10 sessions for each of the 15 children. According to the therapists' perception, AAA increased positive gestures and facial expression in children (p = 0.010) and improved peer interaction. Even though there was a 50% reduction in the parents' feedback at the end of the study, according to their perception there was a reduction in self-aggression and repetitive stereotyped movements, as well as an improvement in speech communication and creativity. This study demonstrated the positive effects of the AAA on the social behavior of children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]