Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey

Dogs are part of many households worldwide and in recent years in some western countries, more and more people describe them as members of the family. The accurate number of dogs per household and the actual demand for puppies are hard to estimate correctly. The sources of dogs seem to be an importa...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Natalia Ribeiro Santos, Alexandra Beck, Cindy Maenhoudt, Charlotte Billy, Alain Fontbonne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2372
id doaj-e1eb0482f1ed43e8b5a8d8c7eea510f7
record_format Article
spelling doaj-e1eb0482f1ed43e8b5a8d8c7eea510f72021-08-26T13:27:20ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-08-01112372237210.3390/ani11082372Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International SurveyNatalia Ribeiro Santos0Alexandra Beck1Cindy Maenhoudt2Charlotte Billy3Alain Fontbonne4Unité de Médecine de l’Elevage et du Sport (UMES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, 94700 Paris, FranceCeva Santé Animale, 33500 Libourne, FranceUnité de Médecine de l’Elevage et du Sport (UMES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, 94700 Paris, FranceCeva Santé Animale, 33500 Libourne, FranceUnité de Médecine de l’Elevage et du Sport (UMES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, 94700 Paris, FranceDogs are part of many households worldwide and in recent years in some western countries, more and more people describe them as members of the family. The accurate number of dogs per household and the actual demand for puppies are hard to estimate correctly. The sources of dogs seem to be an important element to consider before acquiring a dog since some behavioural disorders are more likely observed in dogs coming from puppy mills and pet stores. Therefore, there is an increased need to better-know dog breeders, theirs believes and practices. To full-fill this objective, an online questionnaire in five different languages (English, German, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish) was sent to dog breeders. The survey intended to study the demographics of dog breeders and to understand their perception and practices about reproduction, maternal behaviour and management of the dam during the peripartum period. We were also interested to evaluate the occurrence and the impact of stress around parturition and how breeders deal with overstressed bitches and if they believe that motherly quality could have a later-on effect on the livelihood of the dog. Six hundred and sixty-eight respondents participated in the survey, mainly from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America and non-listed country (reported as ‘other’ in the survey). A country effect was observed in relation to housing system, human interaction, the use of techniques to define breeding and whelping time and different methods to manage stress during the peripartum period. Considering the demographics of the responders, breeding activity is, in general, a family based activity with an effect of country. Use of progesterone levels to manage reproduction and pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasound were cited as common practice. In general, parturition takes place under human supervision. Peripartum period was perceived as a stressful moment with a difference in the way of addressing the problem based on the country but reassuring the bitch by increasing human presence was frequently described. Inappropriate maternal behaviour was observed by half of responders and if presented primiparous bitches and parturition by C-section were overrepresented. Puppies stayed with the dams from 4 weeks to 9 weeks and dog breeders from Spain, Poland and Portugal are keeping puppies with their mother the longest. Overall, poor maternal behaviour has an impact on puppies’ cognitive development with German breeders being more convinced than their counterparts from Brazil and Spain.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2372dog breedinginternationalsurveymaternal carebehaviourperipartum
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Natalia Ribeiro Santos
Alexandra Beck
Cindy Maenhoudt
Charlotte Billy
Alain Fontbonne
spellingShingle Natalia Ribeiro Santos
Alexandra Beck
Cindy Maenhoudt
Charlotte Billy
Alain Fontbonne
Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
Animals
dog breeding
international
survey
maternal care
behaviour
peripartum
author_facet Natalia Ribeiro Santos
Alexandra Beck
Cindy Maenhoudt
Charlotte Billy
Alain Fontbonne
author_sort Natalia Ribeiro Santos
title Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
title_short Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
title_full Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
title_fullStr Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
title_full_unstemmed Profile of Dogs’ Breeders and Their Considerations on Female Reproduction, Maternal Care and the Peripartum Stress—An International Survey
title_sort profile of dogs’ breeders and their considerations on female reproduction, maternal care and the peripartum stress—an international survey
publisher MDPI AG
series Animals
issn 2076-2615
publishDate 2021-08-01
description Dogs are part of many households worldwide and in recent years in some western countries, more and more people describe them as members of the family. The accurate number of dogs per household and the actual demand for puppies are hard to estimate correctly. The sources of dogs seem to be an important element to consider before acquiring a dog since some behavioural disorders are more likely observed in dogs coming from puppy mills and pet stores. Therefore, there is an increased need to better-know dog breeders, theirs believes and practices. To full-fill this objective, an online questionnaire in five different languages (English, German, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish) was sent to dog breeders. The survey intended to study the demographics of dog breeders and to understand their perception and practices about reproduction, maternal behaviour and management of the dam during the peripartum period. We were also interested to evaluate the occurrence and the impact of stress around parturition and how breeders deal with overstressed bitches and if they believe that motherly quality could have a later-on effect on the livelihood of the dog. Six hundred and sixty-eight respondents participated in the survey, mainly from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America and non-listed country (reported as ‘other’ in the survey). A country effect was observed in relation to housing system, human interaction, the use of techniques to define breeding and whelping time and different methods to manage stress during the peripartum period. Considering the demographics of the responders, breeding activity is, in general, a family based activity with an effect of country. Use of progesterone levels to manage reproduction and pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasound were cited as common practice. In general, parturition takes place under human supervision. Peripartum period was perceived as a stressful moment with a difference in the way of addressing the problem based on the country but reassuring the bitch by increasing human presence was frequently described. Inappropriate maternal behaviour was observed by half of responders and if presented primiparous bitches and parturition by C-section were overrepresented. Puppies stayed with the dams from 4 weeks to 9 weeks and dog breeders from Spain, Poland and Portugal are keeping puppies with their mother the longest. Overall, poor maternal behaviour has an impact on puppies’ cognitive development with German breeders being more convinced than their counterparts from Brazil and Spain.
topic dog breeding
international
survey
maternal care
behaviour
peripartum
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2372
work_keys_str_mv AT nataliaribeirosantos profileofdogsbreedersandtheirconsiderationsonfemalereproductionmaternalcareandtheperipartumstressaninternationalsurvey
AT alexandrabeck profileofdogsbreedersandtheirconsiderationsonfemalereproductionmaternalcareandtheperipartumstressaninternationalsurvey
AT cindymaenhoudt profileofdogsbreedersandtheirconsiderationsonfemalereproductionmaternalcareandtheperipartumstressaninternationalsurvey
AT charlottebilly profileofdogsbreedersandtheirconsiderationsonfemalereproductionmaternalcareandtheperipartumstressaninternationalsurvey
AT alainfontbonne profileofdogsbreedersandtheirconsiderationsonfemalereproductionmaternalcareandtheperipartumstressaninternationalsurvey
_version_ 1721195413454716928