By Dr. Karen London
Petting rescue dogs, not just walking them, is important to their health.
Philip Petronijevic / Stocksy
Petting a dog is one of life’s great pleasures, and here are the benefits you can get from this simple act: well known. For humans, it can lower levels of blood pressure and stress hormones (such as cortisol) and increase levels of various mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. It’s not a magic potion, but it certainly feels that way sometimes. But what are the benefits of petting for dogs?
Relieve shelter stress
a study Dr. Jacklyn Ellis found that the value of petting a rescue dog outweighs the value of walking it. It’s pretty incredible because the consensus for many years has been that the best way people can help dogs thrive in a shelter environment is to take them for regular walks. Ellis, Manager of the Toronto Humane Society’s Cat Behavior, Reinforcement, and Rehabilitation Program and an experienced researcher in the field of conservation animal welfare, presented his research at the Virtual Animal Behavior Society Conference.
it is well known Shelter It can be very stressful for dogs. sound and smell, Lack of sustained social contact With dogs and people, life in shelters is really hard for them. The positive experiences we can provide while in a shelter (puzzle toys, chews, soft bedding, exercise, play, good interaction with people) can reduce stress.
Human-interaction-based enrichment is now commonplace, and much of the research in this area is investigating the effects of different protocols. playing, Pettingwalking and training. However, many shelters focus solely on walking, track the amount of time spent walking dogs, and use that as a measure of success. Walking all the dogs in the shelter multiple times a day is very time consuming and costly for staff and volunteers. Many shelters suffer from resource shortages, and spending too much time on poorly researched protocols is a concern.
Best Stress Relief for Rescue Dogs
Ellis evaluated three protocols for interaction between humans and rescue dogs to determine which forms of interaction had the most positive effects on the dogs’ well-being.
- One group of dogs was walked four times a day for 10 minutes (a total of 40 minutes).
- A second group also walked four times a day at longer intervals. 3 x 30 minutes, 1 x 10 minutes (100 minutes total).
- A third group took 10-min walks four times a day and two 15-min stroking sessions (total 70 min).
The effects of interactions on dog health were assessed in several ways. Researchers measured cortisol levels in dogs. oxytocin level and heart rate. Also, behaviors associated with positive emotional signs (approaching the kennel, stretching, tail wagging) and signs of fear, anxiety, and irritability (lip licking, yawning, barking, shaking off, whining). , hating gazes, gasping).
The study concluded that people’s petting over time increased the happiness of rescued dogs. and The difference between just walking and just walking. This is true even though the data show that the total time spent with humans is longer for dogs whose only scheduled interaction is a walk. The idea that a walk combined with a petting session is more beneficial for rescue dogs than a solo walk is good news, as it reduces the time required for this type of enrichment.
Tools for a successful shelter
Many more questions need to be addressed to determine how best to improve the health of rescue dogs without spending an prohibitive amount of time. For example, it is possible that the effect specifically reflects petting benefits, but it is also possible that multiple forms of enhancement, regardless of type, are the source of the success of this protocol. Playing and walking, petting and training can also have similar positive effects on your dog.
And, as Ellis points out, a larger sample size than was used in this study is needed to draw firm conclusions. However, the preliminary results of this study do suggest that petting is all-around as powerful and effective in making dogs feel as good as it makes humans feel good.