Behavioral Enrichment Protocols to Enhance Positive Welfare States in Working Dogs in Urban Service Roles

Abstract

Urban service working dogs, e.g., police, search and rescue, and therapy dogs, experience considerable
stress because of their work-related stress and pressure. The paper is based on the introduction of
behavioral enrichment procedures to improve the welfare of such dogs, including both emotional and
physical conditions. The enrichment programs consisted of cognitive stimulation, exercise, and
sensory interaction, which were specific to the requirements of the working dogs in the urban
environment. The controlled experimental design was used, involving an experimental group
(enrichment) and a control group (continuing regular routines), over a period of 12 weeks. Behavioral
observation, cortisol, and heart rate variability were the key welfare indicators measured before and
after the intervention. The findings indicated that the experimental group had a considerable decrease
in stress-related behaviors (22%), aggressive behaviors (40%), and positive behaviors (31%). There
were also physiological improvements, with the cortisol level reduced by 22 % and the heart rate
variability rose by 18%. These results show that enrichment protocols can significantly improve the
emotional and behavioral well-being of working dogs and increase their performance and general
welfare. The article indicates that the introduction of well-organized enrichment programs into the
daily life of urban service dogs can result in long-term enhancements of welfare, and the consequences
of these optimizations of both health and work outcomes are expected. Nevertheless, more studies are
required to understand the long-term effects and to improve the enrichment techniques to be used in a
broader application in working dogs in a wider range of functions.