Pet swap: are chickens really the new dogs?

Are you a dog person or a chicken person? It is, by some accounts, the question bouncing around the gardens and smallholdings of the UK as more established pets cry “fowl” over a chicken coup. No longer happy to employ poultry as egg suppliers, we are reportedly embracing them as pets, with names and roaming rights.

“I keep finding eggs in the cat basket!” says Lucy Deedes of her own avian interlopers, Mrs Rochester and Miss Bates. The hens live in Deedes' Sussex garden but enjoy coming inside (the kitchen is off-limits lest the birds endanger the council hygiene rating Deedes requires for her marmalade business.

Hen expert Kathy Shea Mormino, AKA the Chicken Chick, says in her new book, The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens, that new owners, like her, soon realise hens make good companions. “It was a shock to me when I started giving them names,” she told the LA Times. Deedes, 62, agrees: “If I'm lying in the garden on a sunny day they come and flop beside me and when the dog jumps in the car to go somewhere, I'll see the chickens standing there thinking, ‘shall we hop in, too?'” She does not walk her hens but did once incubate a rejected egg in her bra; she says it hatched while she queued at the post office. But are chickens really the new dogs? Britain's domestic fowl population has been a fairly stable 500,000 since 2010, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association's annual survey (about the same as guinea pigs, but no threat to our 8.5m dogs). But anecdotal evidence of warming relations is rife, and is expected to grow after the release of Pecking Order, a documentary set inside New Zealand's cutthroat show hen scene (think Crufts with clucks).

“A lot more of our members are treating them as pets, particularly those with young children,” says Pedro Moreira, chair of the Surrey Poultry Society. “They're very sociable animals and all have their own characters and routines.” He advises would-be hen-keepers to first consult neighbours and the council (they're classed as livestock and not always allowed in gardens) and to research coop size.

Deedes says her hens have passed peak egg production, but she has no plans to dispatch them. Meanwhile, her friends are getting chickens, too.

“One has a hen called Sir Cliff, because she looked like a shirt Cliff Richard once wore,” she says, before getting back to her marmalade.

Are Dogs Probiotic?

Archaeological records suggest we've been close with our pets for some time: About 10,000 years ago we started to co-habitate with cats drawn to the well-fed rodents scurrying around our farms. In ancient Egypt millions of pet dogs were buried in elaborate tombs adorned with expensive gifts and inscriptions. As a result, we've likely been swapping cuddles and microbial critters with domesticated animals for many generations.

Today those pets are clearly still at home in our homes. And plenty of headlines tout that beyond snuggles and companionship our four-legged friends offer other benefits—like improved mental and physical health.

But not so fast. A rash of recent research presents a more muddled picture of what pets bring into our lives—from microbe swaps that can alter our gut environment to emotional well-being. Just consider the family dog: Fresh from a romp through the woods or an inquisitive sniff of a butt or two, he will impart a nip, nuzzle or slobbery smooch—perhaps transferring legion microbes with each encounter. Current science suggests that might be a good thing—but only for some of us.

First, let's talk allergies. Numerous works tell us that having a dog appears to reduce rates of pet allergies if first exposure takes place very early in life. Many microbiome researchers believe those exposures to pets' microbial milieu during infancy—in the form of pet dander—may specifically train the immune system to deal with pets and other allergens. (The theory goes: without those early exposures to certain bugs and infectious agents the natural development of the immune system is essentially stunted.) But as one May 2017 study of thousands of kids and adults concludes, the timing of such exposures appears to be key: When first pet exposures occur as a teen or young adult, risk of pet allergy actually appears to increase.

There's more bad news: Pets can also cause other problems. Lizards and turtles can carry salmonella. Parrots can carry the causative agent of psittacosis—which causes severe pneumonia in humans. And evidence has accrued that many of our furry friends can carry serious infectious agents including "superbug" MRSA, giardia, and other pathogens and parasites.

Even our modern understanding about the mental health benefits from pet ownership continues to evolve. For many decades there was widespread acceptance about the mental health benefits of unwinding with a pet. But that picture was complicated by a 2010 study of nearly 40,000 people in Sweden that found pet owners were physically healthier than those without pets yet they suffered from more mental health problems than their sans-pet peers. Now the science remains unsettled about who may benefit from pet ownership or even why such relationships could help.

We do know pets help us get outside to play or walk them, which increases physical activity. Some of these positive effects may be mediated by microbiome changes in response to decreased cortisol levels, but scientists are still looking for definitive answers, says Rob Knight, who studies these questions at the University of California, San Diego.

What about other physical health benefits? Several research groups are looking into that now. In one ongoing study Knight and collaborators have asked 17 lucky senior citizens to agree to be randomized to receive a dog or not. Then they (and the dogs) submit to months of regular health checkups and share their poop with researchers who map out its microbial makeup. Knight's group plans to have some results from this study in the next year.

Meanwhile other research groups are also looking for connections between pet ownership and obesity—exploring if certain microbial swaps might help or hurt the midlines of pets and people. Current evidence actually suggests heavier people have heavier pets—a puzzling phenomenon, which some scientists believe could be due to microbial swaps that go in the person-to-pooch direction. It may sound far-fetched but there are some early hints that "fat" microbe transfers are possible: Studies in the past few years do suggest we can make mice fatter or thinner by transferring microbes from fatter or thinner people to them.

Personally, though, right now I'm not counting on any big benefits from pet ownership except looking into those adorable puppy eyes. For me, that's enough.

Your Dog Can Easily Learn How to Dial 911 and Save Your Life

In the pet adoption world the phrase, "Who rescued who?" is popular. Pets bring so many positive things into our lives, it can seem like they are the ones who saved us. Now, it turns out they really can.

Melody Jackson, an associate professor and director of the animal-computer interaction lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and her team are working on finding new ways dogs can help their owners during medical emergencies, reports CNN.

One of their most recent developments is a touchscreen designed for dogs to use during an emergency. Jackson has found that canines can be trained to use this device, which is similar to a telephone, to contact help when they see their owners fall or when they hear a specific signal from their human.

"The dog could go over to a touchscreen and touch a series of icons on the touchscreen and call 911 with your location," says Jackson, who was inspired to start the FIDO Project at Georgia Tech, after her grandmother fell and could not reach anyone for help. "We think that, literally, this could change lives, make lives so much better, and be a life-saver."

Along with improving communication between dogs and humans, Jackson also works as a dog trainer, and is confident that the touchscreen her team is working on will be easy for dog owners and their companions or service pets to learn.

"A medical alert dog may need to summon 911 for their person who is having a seizure. Or a military working dog might need to tell their handler what kind of explosive they just found," she said. "The dogs had no way reliably to do this. So we started focusing on technology to allow working dogs and specifically service dogs to communicate."

Jackson and her team have already trained several dogs to approach the touchscreen and press three different buttons when they hear the 'help' command. In the real world, this action would trigger the device to call a preprogrammed emergency contact like a family member or 911.

This command requires three buttons to prevent accidental bumps and misdials. From the color of the buttons to the size of the device, FIDO Project has designed everything about the touchscreen to be dog-friendly.

Along with this touchscreen, FIDO Project is also working on a vest for dogs that comes equipped with an emergency cord either owners or pets can pull. When activated, this cord would be able to call emergency contacts, or play a pre-recorded message to alert others in the area. This last option would be especially helpful to diabetic alert dogs and seizure detection dogs, allowing them to tell bystanders that their owner is having a seizure and in need of help.

The future of health care is looking optimistically furry!

Pet dogs are the new must-have accessory at the smarter office

After a half-hour walk to work each morning, Joy likes to grab a drink and head to her desk … where she promptly curls up underneath it and has a nap.

Joy is an eight-month-old golden retriever and she goes to the office with her owner, Carol DuPuis. These days, especially at tech companies, you're as likely to find a dog in the office as you are a pot plant or watercooler. For startups particularly, allowing dogs is an easy, cheap way of attracting and retaining millennials, on top of the free snacks, pinball machines and gym membership.

The Google code of conduct states "affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture". At Amazon, around 2,000 employees have registered their pets at its headquarters in Seattle so they can take them in – reception desks are stocked with biscuits, some water fountains are set at dog height, and there's an off-leash park – also open to the public – where staff can exercise their pets.

DuPuis is a partnerships manager at ReachNow, a US car-sharing app. "My favourite part about bringing Joy into the office is the joy she brings to my colleagues – pun intended. It's tough not to love the puppy energy, it just feels so nice," she said. Joy spends part of her day sleeping, but she also joins DuPuis for meetings and likes to sniff around for bits of peanut butter pretzel that have fallen on the floor.

Gemma Huckle, head of content and culture at London brands agency Rooster Punk, knows all about the pleasure dogs can bring. Her French bulldog, Amelie, has changed the mood in the office since her arrival two years ago.

Huckle said: "She's made it feel like a home from home: the atmosphere is warmer and more sociable. If someone's feeling a bit down in the dumps or stressed out, they usually come and see the dog. Just five minutes pampering or playing with her seems to perk everyone up. Having the dog is also great for our physical health, as it gives everyone an excuse to get out of the office and get some air."

Amelie was crowned StartPup 2016 after Rooster Punk shot a video of her in the office and entered her in the world's first competition to find the best dog belonging to a startup. Huckle recommends having dogs at work. "It helps staff bond and I think it reinforces positive work behaviours – people seem to be more friendly and approachable."

Around 8% of US and UK employers allow dogs at work. A 2016 survey by Banfield pet hospital found that 82% of employees feel a greater sense of loyalty to pet-friendly companies, 88% think pets at work improve morale and 86% say they reduce stress.

Laura Wolf, global content manager at digital creative agency Possible, based in Seattle, said her chihuahua-dachshund mix, Boomer, is a "real morale booster". She also helps break the ice with new colleagues. "You get to know people through your dog, people stop to cuddle her. She'll sit on my lap during meetings; sleep next to my desk while I'm working; visit colleagues she knows who'll give her a treat."

Being able to take dogs to work was a major perk, Wolf said. "Younger people are getting married way later and choosing to have a pet instead of a child early on. Doggy daycare is expensive and it's great to have that flexibility of being able to take your dog around with you.

"It's beneficial to the company as well. The likelihood of people having to leave to get home to their dog or come in late because they're walking their dog is much less."

Companies have rules to ensure workplaces are safe, especially for staff or clients with allergies. At Possible, for example, dogs must be vaccinated, they can't be aggressive or run around off-leash, and they are asked not to return if they foul the office more than three times.

In the UK, dogs have long been going into offices in the pet sector, such as Pets at Home, Mars Petcare and the charity Blue Cross, and they are becoming welcome at other types of businesses too, for example model agency Next Management and online retailer Firebox.

In the US firms such as Ben & Jerry's and Build-a-Bear Workshop allow dogs, and the idea is spreading to the public sector. The department of the interior is to trial take-your-dog-to-work days, the first federal government office to do so. Dogs are also becoming more common in places such as dental surgeries, boutiques and hair salons.

Dentist Cameron Garrett and his wife Debra, a hygienist, take their elderly rescue dog, Karma, to their practice in Corte Madera, California. Debra said: "Some of our patients are dental-phobic and say that having Karma on their lap makes all the difference – and many more just like dogs.

"Karma keeps me calm too and makes my day feel that much nicer. I'm dental-phobic myself. I needed a filling recently and bought Karma with me and it does help. I know from both sides of the chair."

Why owning a pet dog can help parents have a healthy baby

Having a pet dog during pregnancy and just after birth can help reduce the child’s chances of developing allergies and becoming obese in later years, according to a new medical study.

Microbes found in the fur of man’s best friend lead to two types of friendly bacteria in humans that are associated with a lower risk of both allergies including asthma and obesity.

But the timing could be vital, particularly to get the bacteria working early in life, said researchers for the specialist journal Microbiome.

It found that having a dog around while the baby is in the womb and for three months after birth increases the likelihood of these bacteria working.

The theory with allergies is a long established one. Children who are exposed to dirt and bugs end up developing an immunity to them, so it is good to get them to play outside when young.

Now epidemiologists from the University of Alberta in Canada have connected the same effect to families with pets and, in particular, dogs.

They studied stool samples from 746 children that were collected as part of a government health programmes over two decades.

They found higher levels of gut microbes Ruminococcus and Oscillospira in those children whose family had a pet and in 70 per cent of cases, a dog.

The microbes are microorganisms or bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of both humans and animals and are linked to lower levels of allergies and obesity.

Researcher, pediatric epidemiologist Anna Kozyrskyj, said: “There’s definitely a critical window of time when gut immunity and microbes co-develop, and when disruptions to the process result in changes to gut immunity.”

The microbes may be passed from animal to human by stroking the fur or simply being in the same environment and can even affect an unborn baby during pregnancy.

Kozyrskyj added: “The abundance of these two bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house.”

Even if the family owned a dog during pregnancy but gave it away before birth, it increased the chances of the baby having the immunity.

And for those who don’t like dogs and want the same effect, the research may provide a way of developing a ‘dog in a pill’ to help children develop an immunity to allergies and obesity.

Kozyrskyj said: “It’s not far-fetched that the pharmaceutical industry will try to create a supplement of these microbiomes, much like was done with probiotics.”