Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cortisol and behavioral responses of working dogs to environmental challenges.
- Journal:
- Physiology & behavior
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Haverbeke, A et al.
- Affiliation:
- University of Namur (FUNDP)
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how military working dogs respond to different environmental challenges, focusing on their stress hormone levels and behavior. Twenty-seven dogs were tested twice, with a break of 20 days in between, using various stimuli like training, a moving toy car, and loud noises. After the second test, the dogs' cortisol levels, which indicate stress, returned to normal, and they showed more active behaviors and less repetitive actions during the visual challenges. While some signs of stress were noted, the dogs were not found to be under chronic stress, suggesting they can adapt well to these challenges. Overall, the treatment and testing showed positive results regarding the dogs' ability to cope with stress.
Abstract
This paper's primary objective is to analyse the physiological (cortisol) and behavioral responses of military working dogs (MWD). Dogs (N=27) were submitted twice to environmental challenges (challenge 1 and 2, 20 days in-between) composed of social (training), visual (mobile toy car) and auditory (air blast) stimuli. Cortisol levels decreased back to the baseline after the second challenge. The behavioral observations showed that these MWD were more active, and presented less stereotypic behaviors (pacing, manipulation of the environment) during both visual challenges, whereas half low posture was observed during the first but not during the second visual challenge. The present study shows that this group of MWD still has an adaptation capacity to an environmental challenge (return to baseline of the cortisol levels, a higher posture during the second than at the first challenge). These results are encouraging and indicate that the dogs might have a diminished welfare (i.e. stereotypic behaviors), but are not chronically stressed.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17868751/