Shelter dogs are often exposed to daily stressors such as kennel cleaning, which can trigger anxiety, vocalization, and other stress-related behaviors. In a study published in Animals, Pamela Dare and R. Strasser (2023) investigated the effectiveness of various environmental enrichment items—including food, tactile, and scent-based stimuli—in buffering stress during these unavoidable events. The goal was to identify strategies to enhance welfare and promote adoptability in long-stay shelter dogs.
Dogs were presented with either calming or arousing enrichment items during the morning cleaning routine. The researchers assessed behavioral and postural indicators of stress, such as body position, vocalization frequency, and restlessness. Findings revealed that calming enrichment items—particularly lavender scent—were associated with lower body tension and overall calmer behavior. Interestingly, while calming stimuli reduced anxiety indicators, an arousing tactile item (a ball) led to the lowest levels of vocalization, suggesting that different enrichment types can target distinct stress-related responses.
The authors propose that shelters adopt a behavior-based prescription system for enrichment, where the selection of items aligns with the specific behavioral signs being addressed. For example, scent-based calming enrichment might be used to reduce anxiety, while tactile objects could mitigate excessive barking. By tailoring enrichment in this way, shelters could optimize limited resources, improve welfare, and indirectly increase adoption rates by reducing stress-driven undesirable behaviors that can lead to euthanasia.
This study underscores that enrichment beyond food rewards—such as scent and tactile elements—can play a powerful role in reducing stress during acute daily challenges. For shelter professionals, understanding the nuanced effects of enrichment types provides an evidence-based pathway to enhancing the emotional wellbeing of dogs under care.
Source: Dare, P., & Strasser, R. (2023). Ruff Morning? The Use of Environmental Enrichment during an Acute Stressor in Kenneled Shelter Dogs. Animals, 13, published April 28, 2023.
