Empathy or Apathy? Investigating the influence of owner stress on canine stress in a novel environment

Abstract

The experience of stress in veterinary settings has the potential to compromise patient health and welfare. Owner presence and behaviour have previously been shown to influence canine stress in novel environments. However, the effect of owner stress on the behavioural and physiological stress parameters of their dogs, has yet to be investigated. The present study posed the question “Do changes in owner stress levels influence canine stress in a novel environment?” To answer this question, domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, and their owners were fitted with Polar® H10 heart rate monitors. These monitors were used to record heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, while owners were exposed to a stress-inducing or stress-relieving intervention. A significant decrease in dog HR over time was reported as a main effect for all dogs. This emphasises the importance of allowing dogs to acclimatise to novel environments, particularly in veterinary settings. While intervention group had no effect on owner or dog HR, or HRV, the study identified that changes in owner mean HR significantly predicted changes in dog mean HR. This suggests that dogs may exhibit emotional contagion and social referencing towards their owners in novel settings, and that acute changes in owner stress levels can produce rapid changes in canine physiological stress parameters. Therefore, awareness of owner stress should be incorporated into veterinary practice, with the aim of reducing canine stress, and improving patient and client welfare.