Unit name | Companion Animal Behaviour |
---|---|
Unit code | VETS20018 |
Credit points | 40 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Dr. Sue Horseman |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
All first year units |
Co-requisites |
All other second year units |
School/department | Bristol Veterinary School |
Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This unit introduces students to the principles of animal ethology, behavioural development, common behaviour problems and legal aspects of clinical animal behaviour focusing on the commonly owned companion animal species. Knowledge about ‘normal’ behaviour is used to enable students to understand the different elements which impact on the ultimate behavioural signs shown by individual animals. The importance of the developmental period will be examined ensuring that students have a good understanding of the degree of behavioural plasticity arising from sensitive periods for learning. The interactions between health and behaviour will be explored, along with the effect of neutering on behaviour. Dietary changes are frequently recommended for treatment of behaviour problems in dogs and the scientific evidence for the influence of nutrition on behaviour will also be examined in this unit. Concepts of personality and temperament, and means of assessing these, will be considered, and the interaction between nature and nurture in relation to behaviour is discussed.
This unit also introduces the concepts and principles underlying learning theory, and the neurological processes by which learning occurs. The importance of learning in the development of behaviour in individual animals is emphasised, including examples of how animals may learn undesired or ‘problem’ behaviours. Principles of behavioural first aid are taught before students are introduced to the techniques by which animal behaviour can be modified in training and rehabilitation.
The development of problem behaviour is also covered in this units which starts to introduce behavioural problems and methods of behavioural modification, developed further in later units. Finally, legislation relating to animal use in general, and behaviour consultancy more specifically, is covered within this unit, again preparing students for further study and practice.
Unit Aims:
Develop an understanding of the ethology of vertebrate domestic animals, and how this has been affected by domestication, natural and artificial selection and proximately by nature and nurture and by relationships with humans.
Gain an ability to recognise and report on signals indicative of a range of behavioural states.
Articulate an understanding of the theory of animal learning relating to a range of associative and non-associative processes.
Develop an understanding of the theory underlying learned problem behaviour and training techniques
Acquire an awareness of the most common behaviour problems affecting companion animals and appropriate first aid strategies
Gain awareness of the key legislation and legal processes relevant to the work of clinical animal behaviourists
On completion of this Unit, students should be able to:
Online synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning
Small group working
Use of Virtual learning environment (Blackboard)
Opportunities for formative feedback will be provided throughout the year, for example through seminar discussions, coursework support discussions and on-line quizzes
Summative assessment:
Three pieces of written coursework
1) Group task – Cross-species comparative matrix to include comparison of dogs, cats, rabbits and horses in relation to, for example, ethology, domestication and social communication (35%)
2) Individual essay: Exploring the role of nature and nurture in behavioural development (35%)
3) Individual task: Peer assessed training plan (30%)
The passmark for each coursework element is 40%. Students failing to achieve a pass for any element of the unit will be required to undertake a comparative piece(s) of coursework during the resit period as follows:
1) Comparative coursework task designed to be completed individually
2) Individual essay as above (same topic, different title)
3) Individual task as above but lecturer assessed and based on a different training task
Please refer to the central University reading list repository: https://bristol.rl.talis.com/index.html