Published in the American Journal of Undergraduate Research, this study addressed an increasingly relevant question: as dogs become more common on college campuses, how does communal or independent living affect their stress levels and coping behaviour? While prior research focused on the benefits of companion animals for students, little attention had been paid to the dogs themselves.
The researchers compared two groups—on-campus dogs (n = 18) and off-campus dogs (n = 12)—by placing each dog in a novel room for three minutes and recording their behavioural and physiological responses. Salivary cortisol samples were collected prior to exposure to establish a stress baseline, while observers coded for anxiety-related behaviours such as barking, body shaking, lip-licking, and hyper-alertness.
Contrary to expectations, no significant differences were found between the groups in either cortisol levels or anxiety-related behaviour. These results suggest that companion dogs living with students are generally well-adapted to variable housing conditions and that the emotional stability of dogs on campus may depend more on individual temperament and routine consistency than on housing type.
Willgohs and colleagues emphasize that understanding how dogs adjust to student life is vital as universities continue to embrace pet-friendly initiatives. While further research with larger sample sizes is warranted, the findings indicate that college environments—when structured and supportive—can accommodate canine well-being without significantly increasing stress markers.
Source: Willgohs, K., Williams, J., Crisostomo, I., Keck, K., Young-Erdos, C., & Highfill, L. (2023). College Canines: Investigating the Behavioral and Physiological Impacts of Various College-Housing Environments on Companion Dogs. American Journal of Undergraduate Research. Published October 7, 2023.
