Borealis
Stellato, Anastasia C.;
Jajou, Sarah;
Dewey, Cate E.;
Widowski, Tina M.;
Niel, Lee
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2019-10-04
Dogs were recruited with pre-existing veterinary fear to assess the efficacy of a 4-week counter-conditioning and desensitization training program on behavioural and physiological indicators of fear. For dogs that were randomized to receive training (n=15), their owners were instructed to perform exam-style handling on their dog and visit the veterinary clinic on a weekly basis for 4-weeks. For control dogs (n=22), owners were not given any instructions between testing. Dogs were assessed during arrival at the clinic entrance (entering clinic and weigh-in) and during a routine standardized examination before and training.