Ever wish you had a reliable way to know which dogs would get along in a group setting in your shelter?
Group housing carries with it both advantages and pitfalls. Dogs housed in pairs have been found in at least one study to have better adoption rates and health. Other studies have shown dogs housed with other canines may bark less, experience less stress from a lack of space, and are more adaptable.
However, with those benefits comes some problems, including inter-dog aggression and increased stress in dogs who aren’t comfortable in their group.
In a 2013 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, researchers identified methods for maximizing successful housing of shelter dogs in groups. From the study abstract:
Twenty-three neutered dogs that had to be grouped participated in the study. Fifteen were adult females, 7 were adult males, and 1 was a juvenile female.
The protocol was divided into phases that allowed the use of environmental enrichment (occupational, social, nutritional, and sensorial) and behavioral modification (systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning).
There were no fights involving bites during the formation of groups. In 5 (18.5%) of formed pairs, we observed unidirectional manifestations of aggression that did not involve physical contact. Three pairs (10%) could not be formed because we saw bidirectional aggression manifestation involving physical contact but no bites.
The proposed protocol is a viable alternative to improve grouping of dogs in the context of shelters. The protocol also has the potential to promote wellness, enhance production of desirable behaviors, and decrease the presence of behavioral problems.
The complete study is available online at the link below.
Oswaldo Santos, Gina Polo, Rita Garcia, Eduardo Oliveira, Adriana Vieira, Néstor Calderón, Rudy De Meester; Grouping protocol in shelters; Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 1 January 2013 (volume 8 issue 1 Pages 3-8 DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2012.03.002)