in shelters every year. The journey from a shelter to a new home can be tough on dogs, and researchers are trying to understand exactly how tough it is.
In a recent study, researchers looked at how dogs behave and feel during this transition. They found that dogs matched their movement pattern to that of their owners, walking when the owner walks or standing still when the owner stands still. This was true for both dogs that had always been with their owners and those that had found new homes. When faced with a problem they couldn't solve, all dogs showed signs of stress, but the amount of time they spent trying was similar across the groups.
One interesting discovery was that dogs who had always been with their owners tended to look at them more often than shelter dogs did with the shelter staff. And when it came to remembering where treats were hidden, all dogs, whether they were with their original owners, in a shelter, or in a new home, had pretty good memory.
The scientists also checked the dogs' hair for cortisol, a stress hormone, and found that shelter dogs had higher levels than those that had been rehomed. This suggests that being in a shelter is more stressful than adjusting to their new home. Additionally, dogs in new homes seemed to feel emotionally closer to their new owners than dogs that had never been rehomed.
In conclusion - moving to a new home is definitely stressful for dogs, but they're also incredibly resilient. Once they settle in with their new families, they're just as capable of love and loyalty as they've always been.
Would you like to know more? Here is the full article:
Sulonen et al. 2024. Behavior, long-term stress and relationship to owner in relinquished dogs. Frontiers Animal Science. 5:1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1384155
