Tracey qualified as a Social Worker in 1986 and has since that time been practicing in London specialising in work with children and families. She developed an interest in the study of psychology and canine behaviour since adopting her first shelter dog in 1991. Having adopted a Labrador, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Whippet and Dachshunds, she became increasingly aware of the diversity of behaviour between breeds. The paucity of scientific studies concerning the effect of breed on behaviour led to her own current research in this area.

Drawing on the findings of research highlighting referential gazing as fundamental to dog-human communication, this presented as an appropriate starting point to begin an exploration of breed diversity in behaviour. Pilot studies were developed to explore three measurements of behaviour - the latency and duration of time breeds spent looking at the researchers when faced with an insoluble problem, and the time when the subjects ceased interest in the insoluble problem. All tests were conducted at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, South London.

 

Results - The most significant difference revealed by these pilot studies was between age group and the time the dogs’ ceased interest in attempting to solve the insoluble test ( P= 0.03). The results of these pilot studies suggest that future experimental models should be sensitive to age and development of the breed.
 

Qualifications

 2000 Understanding the Canine/Human Interface – Distinction awarded by the Animal Care College; 1997 Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society; 1996 MSc Psychology – Manchester University; 1986 Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work (C.Q.S.W); 1984 Bsc (HONS) Sociology and Psychology: Class 2:1