Döring, D., Nick, O., Bauer, A., Küchenhoff, H. and Erhard, M.H. (2017). Behavior of laboratory dogs before and after rehoming in private homes. ALTEX – Alternatives to animal experimentation, 34(1), 133-147. doi: 10.14573/altex.1608171. retire
This study compares the effects of social and physical enrichment on the behaviour and physiological responses of group and pair-housed beagles. Some 432 h of observation were collected from 48 beagles assigned equally to four groups: (1) a control group, (2) a group given increased opportunities for social contact with conspecifics, (3) a group given 30 s day−1 of intensive handling, and (4) a group provided with three different toys/chews permanently suspended in the pen: Rawhide, Gumabone chew and a piece of plastic tubing.
A blog on the five domain model and its implications.
Bray, E. E., Sammel, M. D., Cheney, D. L., Serpell, J. A., Seyfarth, R. M., Marshall-Pescini, S., & Parker, K. J. (2017). Effects of maternal investment, temperament, and cognition on guide dog success. maternal care development puppy
Handlers of 22 working German Shepherd dogs were asked to rate their dogs on 11 attributes pertaining to working ability, related behavioral traits, and health. Eight of the dogs were then provided with daily feeding enrichment for 4 months, while the remainder were given equivalent human attention. The same 11 traits were scored again following the enrichment period: 10 changed little over the period while handlers’ reports of their dogs’ Ability to learn from being rewarded increased significantly.
Two groups of beagles, accustomed to spacious group housing, were subjected to social and spatial restriction and studied for manifestations of chronic stress with a time interval of 7 weeks between the groups.