Tracking puppy development: automated analysis and qualitative behavioral assessment in repeated open field tests

Early puppy development is a crucial period that significantly influences a dog's lifelong health, behavior and personality. In this study, the behavioral development of Kangal puppies was investigated through repeated open-field testing, focusing on exploratory behavior, mobility, and responses to novel stimuli. Thirty-three Kangal puppies (20 males and 13 females) from various breeding centers in Sivas Province, Türkiye, were evaluated. The puppies were tested in a controlled open-field environment at 5, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Tests included a novel environment test at 5 weeks and novel object tests at 6 and 8 weeks. Mobility rate, exploration rate, and total distance parameters were measured using automated tracking software (ToxTrac). Qualitative behavioral assessments (QBAs) were performed to evaluate three distinct behavioral and emotional aspects: curiosity, comfort, and fearfulness. The results of these assessments revealed significant increases in curiosity and comfort scores over the testing weeks, with a concomitant decrease in fearfulness. Additionally, tracking data showed increased mobility and decreased exploration rates throughout the testing weeks. Significant correlations were found between curiosity and exploratory behavior, as well as between mobility and comfort scores. Overall, our findings suggest that Kangal puppies exhibit expected behavioral developments in repeated open field testing, with patterns consistent across multiple analyses. These results provide valuable insights into the behavioral development of Kangal puppies and underscore the importance of considering curiosity and other internal motivations in understanding animal behavior.