Spying the dog: Wearable action camera as a tool to understand dog’s behaviour during homing (Carnivora: Canidae)

Abstract

Automated data collection methods, such as using GPS collars and animal-borne cameras, represent an efficient way of data collection and may be instrumental in the research of animal orientation, including magnetoreception. In this study, we designed a wearable dog action camera (DAC) system for hunting dogs consisting of a Garmin Virb Elite camera housed in the stainless mount attached to the dog harness. We evaluated the DAC’s reliability and potential to capture various behaviour, and we tested the effect of the DAC on the dog’s activity and well-being. We found no significant impact of the DAC on the dogs’ average speed. The tested system was reliable, efficient and safe for dogs. We recorded various behaviours connected to orientation, such as olfactory behaviour and head scanning, the latter described for the first time in domestic dogs. Furthermore, we observed other important behaviours such as hunting, exploration and comfort behaviour. Using wearable action cameras for studying domestic and free-roaming tame animals can bring new opportunities for future behavioural and sensory ecology research.