Evaluation of physiological and behavioral stress-dependent parameters in agility dogs

Salivary cortisol concentration in healthy dogs is affected by size, sex, and housing context

“…Study on salivary cortisol concentrations to mark distress or undesirable outcomes in dogs is a topic that has received an increased attention in the last years (Bellaio et al, 2009;Bennet and Hayssen, 2010;Wenger-Riggenbach et al, 2010;Beetz et al, 2011;Pastore et al, 2011;Glenk et al, 2014). Saliva can be collected less invasively than blood or urine, and its cortisol concentration has shown to closely parallel plasma cortisol values (Beerda et al, 1996;Hellhammer et al, 2009).…”

Recent breeding history of dog breeds in Sweden: modest rates of inbreeding, extensive loss of genetic diversity and lack of correlation between inbreeding and health

“…The dog has many important roles in modern society and its use includes: for therapy, herding, hunting, sports activities, medical and genomics research, in police, customs, military, rescue and security work, for identifying biological material, and for company (Lindblad-Toh et al 2005;Browne et al 2006;Wells 2007;Horvath et al 2008;Pastore et al 2011;Turcs an et al 2011). To serve all these purposes, an increasing number of different dog breeds have been created through strong selective breeding (Wayne & Ostrander 2007).…”

Our Ethical and Moral Responsibility

“…Although dogs have had significant rises in salivary cortisol in response to sound blasts, being electrically shocked, and subjected to a falling bag, these rises did not correlate with changes in stress-associated behavior (Beerda et al, 1998). There was a similar significant rise in salivary cortisol in dogs competing in an agility competition, but no association between cortisol and behavior (Pastore et al, 2011). While urinary cortisol levels were more indicative of stress in Labrador retrievers in response to kenneling, they were not associated with any observed stress-associated behaviors (Rooney et al, 2007).…”

“…Behaviors associated with stress have been classified using different terminology in the literature. Appeasement behaviors are gestures, postures, and attitudes performed for conspecifics in situations of potential conflict (Pastore et al, 2011). Appeasement behaviors are gestures, postures, and attitudes performed for conspecifics in situations of potential conflict (Pastore et al, 2011).…”