Dog Refinements

Staff working with dogs should be properly trained to recognize dog behavior signs (normal & abnormal), implement low-stress handling, and enact positive reinforcement training. Consulting with a behaviorist and treating dogs as individuals is highly recommended.

Key Natural Behaviors

  • Highly Social with humans and dogs
  • Chewing, tracking, sniffing, & foraging
  • Excellent sense of smell
  • Sensitive to visual stimuli (especially from humans)
  • Sensitive to auditory stimuli (can perceive ultrasound)
  • Use sight/smell to evaluate surroundings and for communication

Blood Sampling Videos

Recommendations

  • Stable social groups (group or pair)
  • Positive reinforcement training, habituation, & desensitization to equipment, handling, procedures, etc.
  • Deliver food in a foraging feeder
  • Daily physical contact with humans while cleaning/feeding
  • Frequently rotated chew toys
  • 15-30 minutes daily of exercise/novel exploration time outside of home enclosure (e.g., playroom or corridor). Ideally includes interaction with other dogs & staff.
  • Puppies (4-16 weeks old) should be handled daily and provided positive interaction with staff
  • Enough room to exercise
  • Nonslip flooring
  • Choice of elevated resting spot/platforms
  • Ability for dogs to observe the housing room (e.g., with pop-out style observation windows)
  • Sound-absorbent materials & smaller housing rooms to reduce noise
  • Play area
  • Outdoor access, if possible

Enrichment Examples

Note: assess enrichment use & rotate preferred items regularly as some animals may find new enrichments aversive, especially without proper introduction or training (e.g., leash walks or pools).

  • Olfactory: wiping scent on cage bars, offering toy with scent, canine pheromone diffusers, scenting bubbles, hiding treats in toys, leaving scent trail in open play space
  • Auditory: dog appropriate music (low bass, even-toned, calming music), toys that make noise, podcasts/audiobooks
  • Visual: the ability to view activity within homeroom with pop-out windows or raised platforms
  • Gustatory: food enrichment with a variety of treats/foods that can be frozen, hidden, or hand-fed
  • Tactile: frozen cubes, different textured toys, destructible items such as cardboard boxes, play
  • Social: playtime with dogs & humans
  • Physical exercise: water pools, digging areas, leash walks, exercise opportunities
  • Cognitive: puzzle boards, challenging toys, forage mats, positive reinforcement train