'Dog Handlers' and Dogs' Emotional and Cortisol Secretion Responses Associated with Animal-Aassisted Therapy Sessions
Year: 2007
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The study investigated 13 dog handlers and 18 companion dogs (Canis familiaris) working as teams in nonhuman animal-assisted service. The handlers described in questionnaires what emotions they chose to associate with their daily life and therapeutic work. They described their emotional condition before and after therapeutic sessions, giving analogous descriptions for their dogs. Handlers collected saliva samples from themselves and their dogs (6 non-therapeutic control days) during 3 months of therapeutic work) to measure cortisol concentrations using an enzyme-immunoassay. Handlers chose different emotions from the questionnaires for themselves and their dogs, differing from the cortisol sampling results. Handlers and dogs had increased cortisol concentrations on therapy days compared to control days. Handlers had significantly higher concentrations immediately before therapeutic sessions. In handlers, cortisol concentrations increased steadily with the duration of sessions; in dogs, with the number of sessions per week. Further study of the effects of recreation periods during therapy work days or of more days scheduled without therapy will help clarify what conditions for delivering animal-assisted service best safeguard the welfare of dog and dog handler teams.
Source: Society and Animals
Institutions: Wageningen University & Research, University of Vienna
Language: English
Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2016141248