PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE PSYCHOPHYSICAL STRESS OF DOGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG UNITS DURING OFF-DUTY PERIOD

Abstract

The level of stress in Law Enforcement Dogs during work has already been the subject of several publications. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how the signs of stress occurred during the period of inactivity, i.e., during periods without work and after retirement. Several interesting aspects emerged from the questionnaires submitted to the conductors of the Dog Units, including the presence of slight /modest entity behavioural abnormalities and the underestimation of an adequate relationship of collaboration between some of the institutions interviewed and the professional figure of the veterinary surgeon expert in behavioural medicine.