Page 94 - K9News_Issue16_May2021

Having an English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
can open up some unusual doors to new and
fascinating experiences. While representing our
breed at All About Dogs at Lincoln showground
a few years ago we were sited next to the
Lincoln University Animal Behaviour and Welfare
representatives. The student representatives fell
in love with our ETTS and were fascinated by
the heritage and history of the breed. The Tettoy
dogs and owners Patricia Newton and Myself
Graham Newton were invited to participate in
some studies. Lincoln University campus is
based around Brayford Pool in the centre of
the ancient City built as an inland port by the
Romans it is now a lively lakeside environment.
We had spent many nights in the “Pool” while
transiting the Foss Dyke and Witham from the
River Trent in our narrowboat so it would be no
hardship to visit one of our favourite places.
Patricia and Graham Newton

The faculty are involved in the scientific study
of animal behaviour and welfare to furthers our
understanding of why animals behave in the
way that they do, and help us learn how best
to respond to the challenges that animals face
when living in captive and wild environments.
At Lincoln, this is performed by academics who
are considered to be at the forefront of their
respective fields in welfare assessment, animal
management, evolutionary biology, and animal
cognition.

We attended a series of cognitive experiments
the rational and outcome of which I am not
qualified to interpret. Each of our six ETTs were
sat in front of a black and white screen where
various canine images were passed before
them. These images consisted of wild and
domestic canines in differing environments.
A camera videoed each dog’s reaction and in
particular eye movement and the recordings
were later reviewed in detail and in synchrony
with the images. I have to say the ETTs
appeared to respond with a high degree of
indifference. We discussed the ETT breed
characteristics in great detail. The interviewers
were particularly interested in the history of
the little ratters in the past. The questioning
appeared to be looking at how a killer working

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MAY 2021