Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels
Previous research has found connections between pigmentation, behavior, and the physiological stress response in both wild and domestic animals; however, to date, no extensive research has been devoted to answering these questions in domestic dogs. Modern dogs are exposed to a variety of stressors;...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3095 |
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| author | JoAnna M. Platzer Lisa M. Gunter Erica N. Feuerbacher |
| author_facet | JoAnna M. Platzer Lisa M. Gunter Erica N. Feuerbacher |
| author_sort | JoAnna M. Platzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous research has found connections between pigmentation, behavior, and the physiological stress response in both wild and domestic animals; however, to date, no extensive research has been devoted to answering these questions in domestic dogs. Modern dogs are exposed to a variety of stressors; one well-studied stressor is residing in an animal shelter. To explore the possible relationships between dogs’ responses to stress and their pigmentation, we conducted statistical analyses of the cortisol:creatinine ratios of 208 American shelter dogs as a function of their coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting. These dogs had been enrolled in previous welfare studies investigating the effect of interventions during which they left the animal shelter and spent time with humans. In the current investigation, we visually phenotype dogs based on photographs in order to classify their pigmentation and then conduct post hoc analyses to examine whether they differentially experience stress as a function of pigmentation. We found that the dogs did not differ significantly in their urinary cortisol:creatinine ratios based on coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting, either while they were residing in the animal shelter or during the human interaction intervention. These preliminary data suggest that pigmentation alone does not predict the stress responses of shelter dogs; however, due to the small sample size and retrospective nature of the study, more research is needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:50:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be915226aa194f85abc5a3129ec8949f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:50:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-be915226aa194f85abc5a3129ec8949f2023-11-19T14:00:10ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-10-011319309510.3390/ani13193095Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol LevelsJoAnna M. Platzer0Lisa M. Gunter1Erica N. Feuerbacher2School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USAPrevious research has found connections between pigmentation, behavior, and the physiological stress response in both wild and domestic animals; however, to date, no extensive research has been devoted to answering these questions in domestic dogs. Modern dogs are exposed to a variety of stressors; one well-studied stressor is residing in an animal shelter. To explore the possible relationships between dogs’ responses to stress and their pigmentation, we conducted statistical analyses of the cortisol:creatinine ratios of 208 American shelter dogs as a function of their coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting. These dogs had been enrolled in previous welfare studies investigating the effect of interventions during which they left the animal shelter and spent time with humans. In the current investigation, we visually phenotype dogs based on photographs in order to classify their pigmentation and then conduct post hoc analyses to examine whether they differentially experience stress as a function of pigmentation. We found that the dogs did not differ significantly in their urinary cortisol:creatinine ratios based on coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting, either while they were residing in the animal shelter or during the human interaction intervention. These preliminary data suggest that pigmentation alone does not predict the stress responses of shelter dogs; however, due to the small sample size and retrospective nature of the study, more research is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3095shelter dogscortisolstresspigmentationmorphologythe domestication syndrome hypothesis |
| spellingShingle | JoAnna M. Platzer Lisa M. Gunter Erica N. Feuerbacher Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels Animals shelter dogs cortisol stress pigmentation morphology the domestication syndrome hypothesis |
| title | Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels |
| title_full | Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels |
| title_short | Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels |
| title_sort | exploring the domestication syndrome hypothesis in dogs pigmentation does not predict cortisol levels |
| topic | shelter dogs cortisol stress pigmentation morphology the domestication syndrome hypothesis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3095 |
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