Interactive games provide both cognitive enrichment and social stimulation for dogs, but the way these activities are introduced can make a critical difference. A 2019 preprint published in bioRxiv investigated how gradual versus hasty introductions of an interactive puzzle game influenced shelter dogs’ performance, stress behaviors, and physiological responses.
The research team, led by Christine Arhant, tested 28 shelter dogs using a puzzle game with four boxes requiring different opening mechanisms. In the gradual introduction condition, dogs first played a simplified version with two boxes while a human experimenter demonstrated the solutions. Only afterward were they presented with the full version. In the hasty introduction condition, dogs faced the complete game immediately, with the partial version provided later.
The results were clear. Dogs in the gradual introduction group achieved significantly higher success rates (p < 0.001) and displayed fewer stress-related behaviors, including reduced arousal and displacement behaviors such as restlessness. In contrast, dogs introduced hastily showed more signs of frustration and lower success.
Physiological measures also highlighted key differences. Using heart rate monitors, researchers found that dogs in the gradual group shifted from a negative correlation between heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) at baseline to a strong positive correlation post-game, suggesting balanced activation of both sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. This pattern, absent in the hasty group, may represent the physiological signature of successful achievement and positive emotional states.
Overall, the findings support the idea that balancing challenge with skill creates enjoyable, rewarding experiences for dogs. Gradual introduction of tasks not only improves performance but also reduces stress and fosters healthier physiological responses, offering practical insights for improving welfare in shelter environments.
Source: Arhant, C., Altrichter, B., Lehenbauer, S., Waiblinger, S., Schmied-Wagner, C., & Yee, J. R., bioRxiv, November 12, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1101/838730
