Animals (Feb 2023)

Long-Lasting Chews Elicit Positive Emotional States in Dogs during Short Periods of Social Isolation

  • Hannah E. Flint,
  • Megan Atkinson,
  • James Lush,
  • Alysia B. G. Hunt,
  • Tammie King

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040552
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 4
p. 552

Abstract

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Dogs may experience negative emotional states when isolated from human caregivers and conspecifics. This study aimed to evaluate how dogs interact with different enrichments during a short period of social isolation, as a first step towards identifying methods for improving their emotional wellbeing. Using a cross-over design, dogs (n = 20) at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute were exposed to four different food-based enrichments while left alone in a familiar room for 20 min: long-lasting chew (Chew), kibble in a treat-dispensing toy (Toy), and kibble dispensed through a smart treat-dispensing device with (Device + Voice) and without (Device) a person talking to the dog. Time spent engaging with each enrichment item and emotional valence and arousal (7-point scale collected every 5-min) were scored from videos. The results of linear mixed models indicated Chew was the most successful enrichment, with dogs having lower arousal scores (p p p < 0.01 vs. all). Based on these findings, long-lasting chews should be further explored to assess their impact on dog emotional wellbeing.

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