Dogs may find kennels exciting, not stressful
Increased arousal does not necessarily indicate stress, according to new research.
Dogs who spend short periods in boarding kennels may find the experience exciting rather than stressful, new research suggests.
A new study published in Physiology and Behaviour contradicts previous research suggesting dogs suffer acute stress following admission to kennels.
The research team aimed to test the validity of current physiological and behavioural tests used to determine stress in dogs.
The reliability of current tests has been questioned. The most widely used physiological measure of acute and chronic stress is urinary cortisol and creatinine ratios (C/Cr).
Academics from the University of Lincoln, University of Birmingham, Queen's University Belfast and the Royal Veterinary College measured stress parameters in 29 privately owned dogs, at home and at one of three boarding kennels in Northern Ireland.
According to the findings, the dogs had higher levels of arousal, colder noses and were generally more active in kennels than at home.
C/Cr levels were found to be significantly higher in the kennel compared to the home environment. However, cortisol levels have been shown to increase after exercise and excitement. Researchers say this appears to indicate arousal without specifying the emotional cause.
Previous research assumes dogs would show higher levels of stress in the kennel environment than at home. However, researchers say physiological and behavioural changes in dogs kennelled for a short period could be down to excitement at the change of scenery, rather than stress as previously thought.
Dr Lisa Collins from the University of Lincoln, said: “This study suggests that although dogs appeared to have a higher level of overall arousal or excitement in kennels compared with their state at home, this arousal is not necessarily due to dogs experiencing kennels as negatively stressful.
“The emotional reasons for the behavioural and physiological responses of the dogs were ambiguous and no definitive evidence was found to suggest that dogs were negatively stressed by kennelling.”
While the findings did strongly suggest that C/Cr, epinephrine (adrenaline) and nose temperature are “robust measures” of arousal, Dr Collins says this can be “easily misinterpreted and do not provide unequivocal indicators of psychological stress.”
The research team has recommended further study to determine the reliability of measurements of acute and chronic stress in dogs.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
