Therapy dogs are widely used to support patients experiencing conditions such as dementia, depression, loneliness, and agitation. While the benefits of these interventions for humans are well documented, comparatively little research has focused on the welfare of the dogs themselves, particularly in demanding clinical environments.
In this pilot study, researchers led by :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} assessed perceived stress, observed behavior, and salivary cortisol concentrations in nine certified therapy dog teams from the Mayo Clinic’s Caring Canine Program during their first three hospital visits.
Each visit lasted an average of 47 minutes, during which dogs interacted with approximately nine individuals. Saliva samples were collected from both dogs and handlers at three time points: baseline, pre-visit, and post-visit. In parallel, handlers completed perceived stress surveys for themselves and their dogs, while behaviors were documented by both handlers and trained staff.
Behavioral observations revealed a range of stress-associated signals, with panting, lip licking, and yawning being the most frequently reported behaviors. These signals are commonly interpreted as indicators of arousal or mild stress, particularly in novel or overstimulating environments.
Despite these observable behaviors, salivary cortisol concentrations showed no significant differences between pre- and post-visit samples, nor across the three consecutive visits, for either dogs or handlers. This stability suggests that, at a physiological level, the therapy teams maintained their welfare state throughout the early exposure to the hospital setting.
A significant correlation (P = 0.02) was found between handlers’ perceptions of their dogs’ stress and the dogs’ cortisol levels. Dogs rated by handlers as experiencing medium to high stress tended to show higher post-visit cortisol concentrations, indicating that handlers were generally able to detect subtle changes aligned with physiological measures.
The findings highlight the importance of combining behavioral observation with physiological data when assessing therapy dog welfare. While stress-related behaviors were present, they did not necessarily reflect compromised welfare, underscoring the need for nuanced interpretation of canine body language in therapeutic contexts.
Overall, the study supports the view that well-trained therapy dog teams can safely engage in early hospital visits without experiencing sustained physiological stress, provided that handlers remain attentive to their dogs’ signals and welfare needs.
Source: Clark, S., Smidt, J. M., Bauer, B. (2020). Therapy Dogs’ and Handlers’ Behavior and Salivary Cortisol During Initial Visits in a Complex Medical Institution: A Pilot Study. Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
