Increased resistance to sudden noise by audio stimulation during early ontogeny in German shepherd puppies

Abstract

The period of early ontogeny constitutes a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is highly susceptible to external stimuli. Thus, early development plays a major role in shaping later adult behavior. The aim of the study was to check whether stimulating puppies at this early stage in life with sound would improve their responsiveness towards unfamiliar noises during the selection process of the police behavioral test for puppies. The cohort comprised 37 puppies from the litters of three mothers. At the commencement of the experiment the dogs were aged 16 days, rising to the age of 32 days at its close. The mothers and litters of the treatment group were either exposed to radio broadcasts, (see below; three litters totaling 19 puppies), while the control group was not exposed to any radio programs (eight litters totaling 18 puppies). All three mothers had previously experienced both auditory circumstances, as described herein. Ordinary radio broadcasts were played to the puppies in the treatment group three times a day for 20 minute periods, always during feeding time. The cohort was subjected to the so-called Puppy Test, i.e. analysis of the potential of each animal, once the dogs had reached the age of 7 weeks. Such tests included exposure to a sudden noise caused by a shovel (100 dB), noise when alone in a room, and response to loud distracting stimuli (the latter two at 70 dB). Said tasks were rated by the same analyst on a scale of 0–5 points; the better the response of the dog, the higher the score given. The differences between the treatment and control groups were analyzed via Mixed Models (PROC MIXED) in SAS. The animals comprising the treatment group responded with a higher score to the sudden noise caused by the shovel than the control dogs (P<0.01). Interestingly, gender was seen to affect response, with the males scoring more than the females (P<0.1). In conclusion, the results suggested that audio stimulation early in life improved the response of the dogs to intense sudden noise, as caused by the shovel. Therefore, acoustic stimulation during the very early period of life has the potential to raise the necessary skills of dogs for military and police purposes, or civilian life.

Enhancing the Selection and Performance of Working Dogs

“…As puppies develop, proper socialization through exposure to varied stimuli, ideally prior to 14 weeks of age, is key to the dog becoming a well-adjusted and resilient adult ( 54 ). Early, consistent experience with speech and music via radio clips ( 168 ) and video images ( 169 ) during the first few weeks of life have been linked to decreased noise reactivity and neophobia, respectively, around 7–8 weeks of age. Relatedly, a lack of exposure to urban environments between 3 and 6 months of age was associated with aggressive and avoidant behaviors ( 170 ).…”

Not a one-way road—Severity, progression and prevention of firework fears in dogs

“…Finally, despite a number of publications on intervention to treat firework fears in dogs [5–10], an important issue that seems to be comparatively neglected is how to prevent fears of fireworks in dogs from developing in the first place. One study indicated that playing the radio during feeding time in German shepherd puppies between the ages of 16 and 32 days led to more favourable responses to sudden loud noises when tested in a puppy test at the age of seven weeks [25]. On the other hand, no beneficial effects of gradually increased auditory stimulation from the age of three weeks was found when 7-week old puppies (German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Dutch shepherd, and crosses between these breeds) were exposed to sudden noises in a behaviour test [26].…”

Canine Socialisation: A Narrative Systematic Review

“…A few studies have focused on the effects of specific socialisation stimuli on behaviour, although these have not been linked to adult behaviour traits. Chaloupková et al (2018) [ 60 ] investigated only auditory socialisation techniques. They hypothesised that exposure to audio stimuli during early ontogeny would improve reactions to noise during the police test for selecting puppies.…”

“…However, no significant differences were found in the other tests, suggesting that other aspects of the puppies’ rearing influenced their ability to cope with the other audio stimuli. This study highlights the importance of considering different sensory modalities when socialising a puppy [ 60 ].…”