Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems
Behavioural problems in dogs are a major welfare concern for both dogs and owners, which can lead to relinquishment or euthanasia. As such, it is important to find ways to minimize the risk of development or severity of problematic behaviour. Such interventions should ideally occur early in the dog’...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| author | Tom Rowland Luciana de Assis Carolyn Menteith Lorna Winter Helen Zulch Daniel S. Mills |
| author_facet | Tom Rowland Luciana de Assis Carolyn Menteith Lorna Winter Helen Zulch Daniel S. Mills |
| author_sort | Tom Rowland |
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| description | Behavioural problems in dogs are a major welfare concern for both dogs and owners, which can lead to relinquishment or euthanasia. As such, it is important to find ways to minimize the risk of development or severity of problematic behaviour. Such interventions should ideally occur early in the dog’s development and need to be widely and easily accessible. One way to implement such interventions, given modern smart phone use, is via an educational application (app). Here, we conducted a cross-sectional observational study where we sought to estimate associations between use of the Zigzag dog-training app (Zigzag Pet Care Services Ltd.) and the development and severity of problematic behaviours. We focused on a subset of the survey population (<i>n</i> = 367) who did no training at all (<i>n</i> = 194) or only used the app (did not attend formal classes or in person training; <i>n</i> = 173). Proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for a range of behaviours as a function of percentage completion of the first four chapters of the app while controlling for age, sex, health, and where the puppy was from. While sample sizes were relatively small and confidence intervals wide, 19 out of 21 odds ratio point estimates were in favour of severity being lower with increasing Zigzag app completion (the remaining 2 were marginally above 1). There was no good evidence that Zigzag increased the severity of any behaviours. On the contrary, there was reasonable evidence against the null hypothesis of no association in favour of Zigzag reducing the severity of familiar aggression, house soiling, chewing, barking, escaping, and noise fear. While causal effects cannot be claimed, overall, the reported associations are favourable and suggest that further study is warranted. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6d2ab85e5a904864be791b5bf7b37ef0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-6d2ab85e5a904864be791b5bf7b37ef02025-08-20T03:11:18ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-02-0115452010.3390/ani15040520Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural ProblemsTom Rowland0Luciana de Assis1Carolyn Menteith2Lorna Winter3Helen Zulch4Daniel S. Mills5Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UKAnimal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UKDogtalk, Gloucestershire, UKZigzag Petcare Services Ltd., 123 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SH, UKAnimal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UKAnimal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UKBehavioural problems in dogs are a major welfare concern for both dogs and owners, which can lead to relinquishment or euthanasia. As such, it is important to find ways to minimize the risk of development or severity of problematic behaviour. Such interventions should ideally occur early in the dog’s development and need to be widely and easily accessible. One way to implement such interventions, given modern smart phone use, is via an educational application (app). Here, we conducted a cross-sectional observational study where we sought to estimate associations between use of the Zigzag dog-training app (Zigzag Pet Care Services Ltd.) and the development and severity of problematic behaviours. We focused on a subset of the survey population (<i>n</i> = 367) who did no training at all (<i>n</i> = 194) or only used the app (did not attend formal classes or in person training; <i>n</i> = 173). Proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for a range of behaviours as a function of percentage completion of the first four chapters of the app while controlling for age, sex, health, and where the puppy was from. While sample sizes were relatively small and confidence intervals wide, 19 out of 21 odds ratio point estimates were in favour of severity being lower with increasing Zigzag app completion (the remaining 2 were marginally above 1). There was no good evidence that Zigzag increased the severity of any behaviours. On the contrary, there was reasonable evidence against the null hypothesis of no association in favour of Zigzag reducing the severity of familiar aggression, house soiling, chewing, barking, escaping, and noise fear. While causal effects cannot be claimed, overall, the reported associations are favourable and suggest that further study is warranted.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/4/520animal behaviouranimal welfareapp technologybehavioural medicineclinical animal behaviourcompanion animals |
| spellingShingle | Tom Rowland Luciana de Assis Carolyn Menteith Lorna Winter Helen Zulch Daniel S. Mills Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems Animals animal behaviour animal welfare app technology behavioural medicine clinical animal behaviour companion animals |
| title | Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems |
| title_full | Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems |
| title_fullStr | Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems |
| title_short | Educational Apps and Dog Behavioural Problem Prevention: Associations Between the Zigzag Dog-Training App and Behavioural Problems |
| title_sort | educational apps and dog behavioural problem prevention associations between the zigzag dog training app and behavioural problems |
| topic | animal behaviour animal welfare app technology behavioural medicine clinical animal behaviour companion animals |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/4/520 |
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