Molecular Biomarkers of Adult Human and Dog Stress during Canine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Scoping Review

Motivations Behind Dog Walking in Older Adults: Insights From Guided Walks and Interviews

For many older adults, physical activity declines with age, contributing to chronic disease and social isolation. Companionship from dogs can help mitigate isolation and promote physical activity. Outdoor environments aligned with the abilities of older adults can encourage walking habits and socialization. To understand how neighborhood features influence dog walking, we adapted a Photovoice approach and photographed 12 older adults walking their dog. Photographs were presented during in-person interviews to facilitate discussions about environmental features. Thematic coding revealed that interactions with nature were key. Participants valued choices in walking path type and conveniently placed dog waste stations. Opportunities to socialize with neighbors were also important. Safety from falling, other animals, and motorized traffic were concerns but were not enough to prevent walking. Our findings suggest that walking environments intended for older adults with dogs should include experiences with nature, diverse path designs, and dog-specific amenities.

Canine-Assisted Interventions and the Relevance of Welfare Assessments for Human Health, and Transmission of Zoonosis: A Literature Review

CAIs (canine-assisted interventions) include "canine-assisted therapy" in which a therapist sets client-oriented goals, 'canine-assisted activities' with recreational goals for clients, and 'canine-assisted education/learning' in which teachers or coaches create learning goals for students or clients. CAIs vary in nearly every way; their only common trait is the involvement of dogs to respond to human need. However, the benefits of involving dogs are highly dependent on the animal's health and behavior. A dog exhibiting negative behavior or an unwell dog might pose a risk, especially for CAI target groups, specifically individuals with immunosuppression, chronic illness, children, elderly, etc. Therefore, positive animal welfare as preventative medicine to avoid incidents or transmission of zoonosis is an attractive hypothesis, with implications for human and animal, health and well-being. This review aims to summarize the current published knowledge regarding different aspects of welfare in CAIs and to discuss their relevance in the light of health and safety in CAI participants. As method for this study, a literature search was conducted (2001-2022) using the Prisma method, describing issues of dog welfare as defined in the Welfare Quality® approach. This welfare assessment tool includes 4 categories related to behavior, health, management, and environment; it was, therefore, applicable to CAIs. Results indicate that dogs working in CAIs are required to cope with diverse variables that can jeopardize their welfare. In conclusion, we propose regular welfare assessments for dogs in CAIs, which would also protect the quality of the CAI sessions and the clients' safety and well-being.