#29: Dr. Lisa Gunter on sleepovers and field trips for shelter dogs Artwork

Research Bites Podcast

The goal of Research Bites is to bring the science of applied animal behavior to non-scientists. In each episode, Dr. Kristina Spaulding interviews an animal behavior researcher and talks about how we apply science and research to working and living with dogs. Research Bites members get access to full-length episodes, as well as monthly webinars and chats about current research in dog behavior. Visit https://sciencemattersllc.com/research-bites for more details or to become a member.

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Research Bites Podcast

#29: Dr. Lisa Gunter on sleepovers and field trips for shelter dogs

March 06, 2025 • Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB

In this episode of the Research Bites podcast, Dr. Spaulding interviews Dr. Lisa Gunter about her work on reducing stress and improving welfare in shelter dogs. If you work or volunteer in a shelter – or work closely with shelter or rescue dogs - this is the podcast for you!

Lisa Gunter is an Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences, and she directs the Center for Applied Animal Behavior and Education. Before beginning her graduate studies, she worked for nearly a decade in animal shelters and with pet dogs and their owners.

The goal of Lisa's teaching, research, and extension is to better the lives of people and their pets. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University and the Maddie's Fund Research Fellow at Arizona State University. Lisa is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and earned her Ph.D. and M. A. in the Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology program at Arizona State University. In the canine science collaboratory.

Dr. Gunter discusses how weekend foster stays and brief field trips affect shelter dogs. Specifically, she explains how these activities influence stress and length of stay. Another factor that may impact length of stay is breed labeling – Dr. Gunter shared key insights from her research on this topic as well. This exciting research sheds light on how shelters can best serve the animals in their care.

Next, Dr. Gunter and Dr. Spaulding share their thoughts on the future of animal sheltering– it’s a very different model than what is being used today! Finally, make sure you stay to the end to learn more about the upcoming Canine Science Symposium!

00:00 Introduction to Research Bites Membership
00:53 Welcome to the Research Bites Podcast
01:27 Introducing Dr. Lisa Gunter
01:44 Dr. Gunter's Background and Research Focus
03:34 The Importance of Shelter Dog Research
05:44 Impact of Short-Term Foster Stays
08:42 Measuring Stress in Shelter Dogs
10:24 Challenges and Methods in Collecting Data
10:55 Findings from Sleepover Studies
24:48 Field Trips vs. Sleepovers
32:13 Understanding Animal Stress in Shelters
32:48 Interpreting Cortisol Levels in Shelter Dogs
35:47 Field Trips and Their Impact on Shelter

For more information, please check out my website and social media links below!

Website: https://sciencemattersllc.com/
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