Vol. 2 No. 3 (2016)
Papers

Behavioral modification in sheltered dogs

Alessandro Cozzi
IRSEA
Chiara Mariti
Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa
Asahi Ogi
Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa
Claudio Sighieri
Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa
Angelo Gazzano
Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa

Published 2016-12-22

Keywords

  • dog,
  • shelter,
  • behavior,
  • animal welfare,
  • stress

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess whether one month’s stay in a shelter causes any behavioral change in the guest dogs. Fifteen cross-breed dogs were video-recorded for twenty minutes in their boxes once a week for five times, starting from the third day after admittance to the shelter. A significant reduction was observed in the frequency of dozing (r=0.95; p=0.01), waving high tail (r=0.95; p=0.01), and waving tail (r=0.92; p=0.02); duration was reduced for lying down (r=0.93; p=0.021), dozing (r=0.98; p=0.003), and waving high tail (r=0.93; p=0.019). Moreover a significant increase was observed in the duration of activity behavioral patterns, such as scratching door (r=0.93; p=0.023) and digging (r=0.86; p=0.060). In addition, an increase was observed in the frequency of standing upright (r=0.92; p=0.026), scratching door (r=0.99; p=0.001), digging (r=0.91; p=0.034), whining (r=0.92; p=0.024), and scratching (r=0.93; p=0.024).

On the third and fourth week of their stay, some behaviors that are typical of a state of restlessness appeared, while others that are typical of a state of inactivity disappeared.

The dogs underwent a behavioral test involving the introduction of different stimuli (unexpected noise, food and toy) in an unknown place, which showed they had got used to such external stimuli as noise (p=0.004).

Data suggest that staying in a shelter can induce behavioral changes that should be carefully monitored to prevent behavioral problems which might develop after adoption.