Oxley, James A, Meyer, Georg 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3739-1653, Butcher, Matthew, Bellantuono, Giuseppe, Levers, Andrew ORCID: 0000-0002-8098-5027 and Westgarth, Carri ORCID: 0000-0003-0471-2761
(2024)
Veterinary students' proximity to and interpretation of a simulated "aggressive" dog before and after training.
Scientific reports, 14 (1).
p. 3209.
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Veterinary students proximity to and interpretation of a simulated aggressive dog before and after training.pdf - Open Access published version Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Dog "aggression" in the veterinary practice is commonplace. Therefore, student knowledge and education about dog behaviour and the ability to interpret "aggressive" behaviour is important from a human injury prevention and dog welfare perspective. The study aimed to compare first-year veterinary students' perceived safest proximity to both an "aggressive" and non-reactive simulated dog, both before and after a teaching intervention about canine behaviour and a handling practical. It also examined student confidence and their ability to identify "aggressive" behaviours. Forty first year veterinary students took part in two surveys. Each survey included two videos: one of a simulated dog displaying "aggressive" behaviour, based on the 'Canine Ladder of Aggression'; and another displaying non-reactive (passive behaviours without reaction to the participants) behaviours. Each video depicted the slow and consistent approach towards the virtual dog within a virtual indoor environment, and participants were asked to press stop if or when they would stop approaching the dog. In the "aggressive" scenario, there was a reduction in the approach-stop time from survey 1 (median = 17.8 s) to survey 2 (median = 15.2 s) in the intervention group (p = 0.018) but not in the control group (p = 0.147). Regarding confidence, there was a significant increase in the self-reported confidence rating relating to a participant's ability to interpret canine behaviour in both the control (p = 0.011) and intervention (p = 0.003). In conclusion, these results indicate that students using approach-stop videos stayed further away from an "aggressive" virtual dog model if they had undertaken a canine behaviour educational intervention. This novel approach has the potential for further use in teaching and assessment of student knowledge and behaviour which may otherwise be difficult to demonstrate.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Animals, Dogs, Humans, Aggression, Students, Educational Status |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Feb 2024 08:53 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Feb 2024 08:14 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-024-53551-w |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3178749 |
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