Source: Eureka Alert
A Virginia Tech study published in PLOS One establishes the first large-scale baseline for dog behavior using four years of owner-reported data from over 47,000 dogs in the Dog Aging Project, a collaboration of 40+ institutions. Led by Courtney Sexton and Yuhuan Li, the research examined fear, attention/excitability, aggression, and trainability between 2020–2023, initially to assess COVID-19’s impact on dogs.
Findings show that despite widespread routine changes during the pandemic, dogs’ behavioral profiles remained largely stable. Factors such as life stage, sex, and size influenced behavior, but the only notable shift was a slight decline in trainability among dogs enrolled after 2020. Researchers suggest pandemic-related adoptions, reduced training opportunities, or owner stress may explain the dip. However, the difference was small and appears to be rebounding. The study provides a crucial foundation for tracking how health and environment shape canine behavior as dogs age, with future research exploring geographic and health factors.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1098141