Kiddie Jenna, Bodymore Anna, Dittrich Alex
Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK.
Animals (Basel). 2017 Mar 23;7(4):27. doi: 10.3390/ani7040027.
Although social enrichment can be considered beneficial in helping dogs cope with the kennel environment, when taking individual needs into account, it places a large demand on the carers and may not be appropriate in under-resourced kennels. Some kennels are also designed in such a way that there is too much social interaction, in that individuals cannot choose to distance themselves from conspecifics. This study therefore aimed to assess the effects of easily accessible enrichment on the behaviour of kennelled Pit Bull Terrier type dogs rescued from a dog-fighting ring in the Philippines. Thirty-six dogs were allocated to one of three treatment groups following a matched-subject design: (i) cardboard bed provision; (ii) coconut provision; and (iii) visual contact with dogs housed in adjacent cages obstructed with cardboard partitions. Behavioural diversity and the duration and frequency of individual behaviours were analysed using linear mixed-effect models. Yawning frequencies and time spent lying down and sitting decreased during treatment. No particular treatment was more influential in these behavioural changes. In conclusion, enrichment, regardless of type, affected the dogs' behaviour, with some effects depending on the sex of the dogs. Therefore, it is possible to cheaply and sustainably enrich the lives of dogs living in highly constrained environments, however, further research is required to refine the methods used.
尽管社交丰富化可被视为有助于狗狗应对犬舍环境的有益方式，但考虑到个体需求时，它对照顾者提出了很大要求，且在资源不足的犬舍中可能并不适用。一些犬舍的设计方式使得社交互动过多，以至于个体无法选择与同类保持距离。因此，本研究旨在评估易于获取的丰富化措施对从菲律宾斗狗场救出的犬舍饲养的比特斗牛梗犬行为的影响。按照匹配对象设计，36只狗被分配到三个治疗组之一：（i）提供纸板床；（ii）提供椰子；（iii）用纸板隔板阻挡与相邻笼子里狗狗的视觉接触。使用线性混合效应模型分析行为多样性以及个体行为的持续时间和频率。治疗期间打哈欠频率以及躺卧和坐着的时间减少。在这些行为变化中，没有哪种特定治疗更具影响力。总之，无论哪种类型的丰富化措施都影响了狗狗的行为，有些影响取决于狗狗的性别。因此，有可能以低成本且可持续的方式丰富生活在高度受限环境中的狗狗的生活，然而，需要进一步研究以完善所使用的方法。
