Influence of male and female petters on plasma cortisol and behaviour: can human interaction reduce the stress of dogs in a public animal shelter?

摘要: Abstract During their second or third day in public animal shelter, juvenile/adult dogs were exposed to a venipuncture procedure. Then the either not petted prescribed manner by man woman; 20 min later, blood sample was collected. There clear increase cortisol levels after first that petted, but woman. Additional comparisons showed petting procedure also inhibited response following puppies. However, did reduce housing shelter per se. petting, made few attempts escape, frequently observed relaxed posture, and panting common dogs. When immediately removal from living cage, those women yawned more often spent time relaxed, head-up posture. Together, these results indicate previously sex difference effectiveness of petters reducing due some odor other nonbehavioural stimulus quality men women. Subtle aspects technique appear have pronounced effects on physiological possibly behavioural responses confined shelter. Petting may be an effective means aversive situations, such as routine medical examinations vaccination procedures at veterinary clinics well shelters.