Abstract
Applied behaviour analysis and training are tools to improve animal
welfare. When training and evaluating welfare, the focus is typically on
an individual animal. While we do need to focus on the individual, we
also need a wider viewpoint. This is because learning in animals is part
of an ecological model. Thus, each animal has their own motivational
structure, ecology, and perceptual capacities. Some are common across
the same species, e.g. dogs can hear high frequency sounds. Others are
specific to an individual, e.g. a dog not socialised adequately shows
fear responses to a wide range of noises. I argue the need to expand
this ecological model and use Bronfenbrenner’s model of child
development as an example. This fits within a One Welfare model, where
animal and human welfare and the environment are inextricably linked.
For a dog, each factor (e.g. local parks for dog walking or their
guardian working 12hours/day) interacts and affects their development
and welfare. In turn, a guardian may experience significant burden of
care if their dog has behavioural problems. Failure to use an expanded
ecological model will mean we fall short in our goals of optimising
welfare for animals, humans and the environment.