Meeting Abstract
One challenge of having dogs adopted from shelters is the excitement they show when being visited that may not be representative of their personality, but rather a symptom of being kenneled for the majority of their time. Occupational therapy interventions with children use sensory-motor strategies of heavy work (proprioceptive input) and movement (vestibular input) for improved behavior responses and emotional regulation. Through neural plasticity, nervous system pathways are strengthened and recruited for a more developed and mature nervous system. Based on these concepts, an object (toy) was designed for dogs that matches their high threshold for stimuli required to elicit a neuronal response. Shelter dogs are likely to be anxious or stressed due to their lack of interaction, presenting behaviors such as pacing, barking, or jumping. However, if they receive sufficient neural stimuli through interaction with this object – therapeutic play – they should develop a calmer, perhaps more approachable, demeanor and hopefully have a greater likelihood of being adopted. To test this strategy, behavioral observations were conducted for baseline classification of play-interest levels in shelter dogs in the Daytona Beach area. The dogs were then presented with either a control object or the test object for therapeutic play at regular intervals. Finally, behavioral observations were conducted for an additional two weeks to determine any lasting effects. Throughout the entire study, regular fecal sampling of cortisol levels provided insight into the stress that may have been alleviated by the therapeutic play. We are hoping to design a program that will allow as many dogs as possible to have and take home with them their own toy.
