Validation of modified open field behaviour as a measure of trait anxiety in the dog

Abstract

Trait anxiety may be a predisposing factor for anxiety-related behavioural problems in dogs. This study aimed to measure and quantify trait anxiety using novel behavioural paradigms. Diazepam is an anxiolytic drug which can be used to validate behavioural paradigms that are designed to measure anxiety. Greyhound dogs from a Canine Blood Bank were recruited. Dogs were individually tested in two behavioural paradigms, named the modified open field and the unconditioned substrate preference. The modified open field test consisted of a standard open field test of 10 min duration, followed by six individual 10 kHz 110 dB 1-second tones played every 30 s, interspersed with continuous white noise p..