Influence of agility training on body-size and object solidity perception in pet dogs.

ABSTRACT: Several studies suggest that dogs are a suitable model to study body-awareness in a systematic and ecologically relevant manner. However, previous studies used a single door paradigm, which does not allow for the control of motivation and thus may yield false positive results. Moreover, it is unclear how life experience might influence body-awareness. In this study, we tested self body-size and -shape as well as object solidity perception in pet dogs and agility trained dogs in a two-choice paradigm. The subjects had to walk through one of the two openings in a fence to reach a reward. The openings were of different shape and/or size (Experiment 1) or covered by different materials (Experiment 2). Dogs could correctly assess their size, while the results are less conclusive for shape perce

SUBMITTER: Staric D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12779069 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature