Resilience – Why Does that Matter?

As a behaviour consultant that specialises in cases involving behavioural concerns that effect a dog’s emotional wellbeing such as aggressive, frustration-related, or fearful behaviour,  a common question I see in caregivers is:

“Why can’t my dog be like all the other dogs?”

Now of course, when they are talking about other dogs, they are talking about a biased sample of other dogs. As it’s quite possible we see less of the dogs that can’t cope because their caregivers have decided to avoid putting them in those situations like going to cafes, walking through towns, and sitting in pubs. Similarly, in the media and films, we typically see dogs being portrayed as loving public spaces and social interactions, so it is easy to see where these feelings come from.

Now there are a lot of answers we can point to for this question, simple things like the sociability of an individual dog may impact how much they enjoy being in public. But one variable that is hugely relevant here is the concept of ‘resilience’. This refers to an individual’s ability to successfully adapt to either acute or chronic sources of stress or trauma (Feder et al., 2009).  

In recent years, research on resilience in both animals and humans has progressed massively. This has helped us better grasp the building blocks for resilience from a behavioural, neurobiological, and genetic perspective, and everything that comes in-between that through epigenetics. This developing understanding is better enabling us as practitioners support dogs in becoming more resilient and better able to cope with stressors that life might throw at them.

Research on resilience points to traits like dispositional optimism promoting resilience (Ong et al., 2006); a trait evidence indicates may be induced in dogs via nose work (Duranton & Horowitz, 2019). Furthermore, research even points to gene-environment interactions that may influence resilience or vulnerability to environmental. For example, if an individual has two genetic polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR & COMT) as well as experiences a stressful live event, they are at higher risk of developing depression (Mandelli et al., 2007). However, this vulnerability can be buffered by social support (Kaufman et al., 2004).

With an abundance of research like this, we can start considering tangible ways to support dogs in becoming more resilient to the world around them (Tiira, 2019). The possibilities are endless and provide an exciting new lens to view canine welfare. However, with that ability to change behaviour, we should still exercise caution. Just because we can enable a dog to become resilient to a situation that they may not have previously been able to cope with, it does not automatically mean they enjoy that situation. Paradoxically, resilient dogs may be more vulnerable to unmet needs because they adapt so well to adversity.

We will be tackling all these topics and more at the ABK Dog Behaviour Conference 2025 on 12th and 13th July, a two day event packed with insights from incredible speakers like Suzanne Clothier, Victoria Stilwell, Sarah Fisher, and Dr Amber Batson. Join us online or in person to learn from some of the world’s leading experts!

https://animalbehaviourkent.co.uk/abk-conference-2025

References:

Duranton, C., & Horowitz, A. (2019). Let me sniff! Nosework induces positive judgment bias in pet dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 211, 61-66.

Feder, A., Nestler, E. J., & Charney, D. S. (2009). Psychobiology and molecular genetics of resilience. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 446-457.

Kaufman, J., Yang, B. Z., Douglas-Palumberi, H., Houshyar, S., Lipschitz, D., Krystal, J. H., & Gelernter, J. (2004). Social supports and serotonin transporter gene moderate depression in maltreated children. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(49), 17316-17321.

Mandelli, L., Serretti, A., Marino, E., Pirovano, A., Calati, R., & Colombo, C. (2007). Interaction between serotonin transporter gene, catechol-O-methyltransferase gene and stressful life events in mood disorders. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 10(4), 437-447.

Ong, A. D., Bergeman, C. S., Bisconti, T. L., & Wallace, K. A. (2006). Psychological resilience, positive emotions, and successful adaptation to stress in later life. Journal of personality and social psychology, 91(4), 730.

Tiira, K. (2019). Resilience in dogs? Lessons from other species. Veterinary medicine: Research and reports, 159-168.