During the COVID-19 pandemic, dog adoptions surged—but so did relinquishments. A recent study by Cornelia Sulonen and colleagues investigated the behavioral and physiological impact of rehoming on dogs. The researchers examined 20 dogs currently in shelters, 30 rehomed dogs, and 33 dogs raised in the same household since puppyhood, using a combination of behavioral tasks, stress biomarkers, and owner questionnaires.
Eye-contact duration, a measure of human-dog communication and bonding, was shortest in shelter dogs during both the unsolvable problem task and a direct eye-contact test. Despite this, there were no differences across the groups in short-term memory or stress-related behaviors during the tasks. Physiological measures showed elevated hair cortisol concentrations in shelter dogs, suggesting higher long-term stress. However, cortisol levels in rehomed dogs were not significantly different from those in lifelong companion dogs.
Surprisingly, owners of rehomed dogs reported higher emotional closeness to their pets than the control group did. Furthermore, both rehomed and lifelong dogs displayed behavioral synchronization with their owners, indicating strong attunement and connection.
This study highlights the resilience of rehomed dogs. While shelters are stressful environments, many dogs can recover and develop deep, trusting relationships with new caregivers. The findings suggest that rehoming, while initially challenging, does not hinder long-term emotional connection or behavioral responsiveness in dogs.
Source: Cornelia Sulonen, J. Löf, P. Jensen, K. Lasses, E. Theodorsson, H. Quist, and L. S. V. Roth. 2024-06-04. “Behavior, long-term stress and relationship to owner in relinquished dogs.” Frontiers in Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1383189
