The behavioral and endocrinological development of stress response in dogs

Endocrinological stress response has been shown to be absent in a specific period of the early life of rodents; this is named the stress-hyporesponsive period (SHRP). The SHRP is a significant period for the appropriate development of infants. In this study, the presence of SHRP in dogs was identified by conducting a 5-min separation test in 142 Labrador retriever puppies in their early socialization period and measuring the changes in urinary cortisol levels. An increase in cortisol after separation was found after 5 weeks of age, suggesting that the SHRP persists until 4 weeks of age in dogs. The distress vocalization during separation changed and the lactating behavior decreased rapidly around 5 weeks of age, suggesting that the endocrinological and emotional aspects of development change at approximately 5 weeks of age and maternal inhibition of cortisol might occur in dogs as well as rodents.