Döring, D., Haberland, B. E., Ossig, A. et al. 2016. Behavior of laboratory beagles: Assessment in a standardized behavior test using novel stimuli and situations. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 11, 18-25.

Laboratory dogs should be sociable with humans and react in a relaxed way when confronted with new stimuli and situations. This is of particular advantage when dogs are used in animal experiments and for the handling of dogs and animal welfare, in general. We determined the reactions of laboratory dogs to different stimuli and manipulations and evaluated the dogs' behaviors to these in the context of housing condition, sex, age, and origin of the dogs. Ninety purpose bred, 1- to 10-year-old laboratory beagles of both sexes from 4 research facilities were subjected to: a new, standardized behavioral test including unfamiliar situations, varied and novel manipulations not routinely involved in physical examination as performed by an unfamiliar person, and novel optical and acoustic stimuli. An earlier article reported on these dogs' responses to approaches and physical examination by known and unknown people (Döring et al., 2014). Here, we concentrate on the effects of environmental stimuli and atypical manipulations. Videotape-based assessment and scoring of the dogs' behavior showed distinct patterns of reactions. Most dogs reacted with interest toward the unfamiliar test person and readily established contact. Many dogs reacted with uncertainty to the unfamiliar object and sound. Signals that may indicate conflict or distress (muzzle licking, paw lifting, and panting) were observed in some of the dogs in all facilities and in all parts of the test. Lowest body language scores indicated by anxious and/or “submissive” postures were observed when the dogs' muzzles were held shut or when the dogs were covered with a thin cloth. Characteristic housing conditions of the different facilities significantly affected several endpoints. Male dogs were significantly less fearful than females in several parameters and older and facility-bred dogs were significantly less fearful. Housing conditions, sex, age, and origin of the dogs markedly affected their behavior.