The study, published in the journal "Applied Animal Behaviour Science," found that shelter dogs that spent more time resting were less likely to show signs of stress, anxiety, or depression. They were also more likely to interact positively with people and other dogs.
"Our findings suggest that providing shelter dogs with opportunities to rest may be an important way to improve their welfare," said lead author Dr. Emily Weiss, an animal behaviorist at the University of California, Davis.
The study involved 120 shelter dogs that were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was given access to a comfortable resting area, while the other group was not.
The dogs in the group that had access to the resting area spent an average of 10 hours per day resting, compared to just 6 hours per day for the dogs in the group that did not have access to a resting area.
The dogs in the group that had access to the resting area were also less likely to show signs of stress, anxiety, or depression. They were also more likely to interact positively with people and other dogs.
"Our findings suggest that providing shelter dogs with opportunities to rest may be an important way to improve their welfare," said Dr. Weiss. "By giving dogs a place to relax and de-stress, we can help them feel more comfortable and confident in their environment."
The study also found that the dogs that spent more time resting were more likely to be adopted.
"This suggests that providing shelter dogs with opportunities to rest may not only improve their welfare, but it may also make them more appealing to potential adopters," said Dr. Weiss.
