Using judgment bias test in pet and shelter dogs (Canis familiaris): Methodological and statistical caveats.

摘要: It is now widely agreed that a positive affective state crucial component of animal well-being. The judgment bias test represents widespread tool used to assess animals' optimistic/pessimistic attitude and evaluate their emotional welfare. Judgment tests have been several times with dogs (Canis familiaris), in most cases using spatial bowl placed ambiguous positions located between relatively trained location (P) which contains baited negative (N) an empty bowl. latency approach the locations indicator dog's expectation positive/negative outcome. However, results from such are often inconclusive. For present study, performance 51 shelter 40 pet was thoroughly analysed. A pattern emerged behaving more pessimistic-like way than dogs. this difference two populations detected only when analysing raw latencies reach not commonly applied adjusted score (i.e. average values). Furthermore, methodological caveats were found. First all, non-negligible percentage did pass training phase, possibly due experimental paradigm being fully suited for species. Second, showed high intra-dog variability response locations, i.e. dogs' responses consistent throughout test, suggesting animals may learned association outcomes. Third, always behave differently towards adjacent raising doubts about ability discriminate locations. Finally, potential influence researcher's presence on analyses. implications these findings solutions discussed.