The scent of enrichment: Exploring the effect of odour and biological salience on behaviour during enrichment of kennelled dogs

Get ready to dive into a captivating study courtesy of the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science! This study was crafted by a trio of researchers: Katie Murtagh, Mark J. Farnworth, and Ben O. Brilot.

Katie Murtagh is part of the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at the University of Plymouth. Mark J. Farnworth is at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences. Ben O. Brilot is at Hartpury University’s Department of Animal and Agriculture in Gloucester.

Together, these researchers have worked together to reveal fascinating insights into the world of canine welfare and enrichment. Their goal? To unlock the secrets behind how scents can transform the way dogs interact with their toys.

Millions of dogs worldwide are housed in kennels for extended periods and may experience compromised welfare. Providing enrichment, such as toys, is a common approach to alleviate the negative effects of kenneling, but the effectiveness of these toys depends on various sensory aspects that need further investigation. The study aimed to explore the impact of adding different scents to toys on dogs' engagement and behavior in a rehoming center.

The study involved 44 singly housed dogs and compared their behavior and engagement levels across three treatments: no toy (NT), unscented toy (T), and scented toy (T+). For the scented toy treatment, two different scents were used: rabbit (T+R) and lavender (T+L). The toys were color- and type-matched across all treatments.

The results showed that dogs were significantly more likely to interact with and spend longer durations with the scented toys compared to unscented toys or no toy conditions. Additionally, the presence of scent significantly reduced stress-related behaviors and increased exploratory behavior. However, there was no noticeable difference in the dogs' response to the different scents (rabbit vs. lavender).

While the study found that the addition of scents to toys increased dogs' engagement and improved their behavioral welfare, it also showed that these behavioral changes were not directly related to the likelihood or amount of toy use. Instead, the mere presence of scent seemed to play a key role in positively influencing the dogs' behavior.

These findings suggest that incorporating scents into toys can enhance dogs' engagement with them and improve their behavioral welfare in kennel environments. The use of different scents may be beneficial for kennelled dogs, regardless of their presumed biological relevance. Further research is recommended to explore the effects of other scents on dogs' behavior and welfare in kennel settings.