In the UK it is estimated that 10% of all companion dogs are relinquished to dog shelters, with at least 30% being for behavioural reasons – dogs with perceived behavioural problems are significantly more likely to be returned than other dogs. Ownership of rescued dogs is becoming increasingly common – in 2016 there were a total of 77 million dogs in US households, 28% of which were rescued from animal shelters. Dogs that have been rescued and adopted from animal shelters are more likely to display behavioural problems than those acquired as puppies. Examples of behavioural problems reported in rescue dogs include fearfulness, aggression, separation anxiety, destructiveness, and excessive activity. While the severity of the problems varies greatly – and what may be interpreted as a “problem behaviour” varies depending on owner personality and experience – behavioural problems are one of the major reasons for dogs being relinquished; particularly for rescue dogs returned to shelters after having been adopted.

Dogs that have been rescued, relocated, or have lived in animal shelters for any period of time can suffer from both acute and long-term stress. Exposure to even mild acute stress can severely impair come cognitive functions, while large-scale structural changes can occur in the prefrontal cortex when an individual is exposed to chronic stress. The specific effect that this could have on behaviour and cognition in the long term has not been thoroughly investigated and is therefore not well understood. Hence, it is important to try and understand the possible underlying cognitive mechanisms that may lead to differences in behaviour between rescue dogs and non-rescue dogs.

Several recent studies have used a series of cognitive tests that assess multiple aspects of cognition in dogs. These tests are designed to be simple enough that they can be performed by dog owners in their own homes for use in citizen science projects.

Citizen science has become increasingly popular in recent years; ubiquitous high-speed internet has allowed for data to be collected by large numbers of non-scientists and easily sent to researchers. This has led to the availability of much larger data sets for studies that would have limited sample sizes using traditional methods, such as requiring dog owners to bring their dogs to a standardized test room at a particular location. This has the potential to be a particularly effective method to recruit rescue dogs as many may have behavioural issues that prevent them from traveling in cars, or may be fearful, anxious or stressed in novel environments, or in the presence of unfamiliar individuals such as the experimenter. Most behavioural studies on relocated dogs are carried out in dog shelters and kennels – very few studies are conducted on dogs after they are rehomed; most that have been done are in the form of owner-completed questionnaires rather than direct behavioural tests. Hence, citizen science may be an effective way to carry out experimental behavioural research on rescue dogs after they have been rehomed – without having to subject possibly traumatized dogs to unfamiliar and potentially stressful experimental conditions. 

The quality of the relationship a dog has with its owner may influence its behaviour and emotional state. Problem solving behaviour in dogs is significantly affected by their relationship with their owner – therefore it is important to assess the quality of the dog-owner relationship using an empirically validated survey as this may affect the outcome of behavioural tests.

When investigating behaviour, it can also be valuable to assess the personality of the dogs – personality could have a considerable impact on the behaviour of dogs, influencing their decision-making processes and emotional states, and reactions to novel stimuli, and therefore, how they may respond to behavioural tests.