DogBox

DogBox is the UK's only mobile dog research facility and was an integral part of the project undertaken during my PhD to sample and analyse the tri-axial accelerometry of domestic dogs within their home environments. The DogBox enabled us to more effectively bring our research to our volunteers and to local or national events. Collar-mounted tri-axial accelerometer data from 86 dogs in the North East of England were collected as part of the DogBox sample during my PhD.

My thesis title, "The Automatic Classification of Canine State", refers to the application of biotelemetry, in this case specifically a collar-mounted, tri-axial accelerometer, in the automated assessment of domestic dog welfare. Prior to this project my academic experience had predominately been within the field of behavioural ecology and in the application of these technologies for the remote observation of individuals and groups in free-living conditions. Here I brought this prior experience and considered the potential for these devices to inform animal management within the home. The core of the project, and of my work since, is the utilisation of novel technologies to supplement traditional observational methods and, as a result, better capture the entirety of a focal individual's (or group's) experience, behaviour, and environment. The focus on the accelerometer, rather than a multi-sensor solution, allowed for a detailed exploration of these themes while more prominently highlighting potential shortfalls or considerations required in the use of such solutions, and how they can be alleviate either with careful experimental or analytical design or with additional methods or technologies.

The thesis explores the current state of literature regarding the use of biotelemetry devices, in particular the accelerometer, across the fields of wild animal behavioural ecology, domestic and commercial animal monitoring solutions, the veterinary sciences, and the extensive human literature. From this I then considered the potential application of novel technologies to supplement or improve the assessment of canine welfare. The accelerometer is most often employed in the monitoring of human and animal physical activity, or the remote identification of human and animal behaviours. Each of these are of potential use in the assessment of welfare and were explored further.

To assess the utility of collar-mounted accelerometers in the assessment of welfare state I identified a common and naturally-occuring source of negative welfare among the DogBox sample. Osteoarthritis is a prolific condition among companion dogs and is a source acute chronic pain in the affected areas - providing an accessible and ethical population of dogs experiencing a negative welfare state. In addition, veterinarians rely on owner reports of behaviour change alongside qualitative diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis and similar chronic pain conditions. The majority of dog owners are not trained to recognise the early onset of osteoarthritis, or similar conditions, or behaviours indicative of chronic pain and pain avoidance. Additionally, the initial qualitative diagnostic tools can be unreliable where the condition is subtle, the individual is adept at masking the pain, or the condition is enflamed at specific times (e.g. early morning osteoarthritic flair-ups) and, as a result, pain management and treatment may be delayed until much more severe. Therefore, the exploration of accelerometer-based measures as potential indicators of osteoarthritis and the perceived quality of life impact of the condition could be a valuable additional tool.

The thesis itself takes these underlying ideas, applies them to the data drawn from the DogBox sample, and expands upon them. The potential of the accelerometer as a low-cost and ubiquitous tool in welfare assessment is explored through the modelling of acceleration-based measures of physical activity, postural state and transitions, welfare-relevant behaviours, and circadian rhythms. Further details can be found in my thesis or in upcoming papers. This page will be updated with direct links to published articles and/or preprints once available. It should also be stated that the work undertaken throughout this project was fundamental in the development of the Open-Source PawPrint Device.