Melissa Fallon
Course manager for the BSc (Hons) Canine and Feline Behaviour and Welfare
In addition to being a course manager, Melissa also is a lecturer and research supervisor in clinical behaviour and training for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Melissa is an academic member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, candidate member of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians, and has achieved her pre-certification as a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist. In 2016, Melissa co-authored a book called ‘Babies, Kids, and Dogs: creating safe and harmonious relationships’ and has also trained cats for television.
Research Interests:
Melissa’s research interests include cognition, behaviour, training and welfare in canines and felines. Specifically on what influences the development of behavioural patterns, particularly behaviours that can become problematic or compromise welfare. Recent research has included focusing on temperament traits such as impulsivity and resilience, aggressive behaviour, bite prevention, how we define or classify behaviour/s, feline sociability, and emotional states such as frustration.
Citations and Public Presentations:
Conference presentations: Fallon, M. and Davenport, V. 2020. Bite prevention. Changes in the animal industries conference; Fallon, M and Macfarlane, B. 2023. Feline behavioral triage. Veterinary Congress; Fallon, M and Davenport, V. 2023. Training dogs that live in a family. PACT DogX conference; Citations: Fallon, M. and Davenport, V. 2016. Babies, Kids and Dogs; creating a safe and harmonious relationship. Veloce Publishing Ltd: Dorchester; Riach, A. C., Asquith, R. and Fallon, M. L. D. 2017. Length of time domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) spend smelling urine of gonadectomised and intact conspecifics. Behavioural Processes, 142, 138-140