Mind the Gap: Human Perceptions, Canine Preferences, and the Importance of Welfare Assurance in Working Dog Programs – Presented by Mia Cobb

The disconnect between human assumptions about dog welfare and what dogs demonstrably prefer creates significant challenges for working dog programs. Research reveals that the perceived welfare varies dramatically across contexts—with some working dogs rated highly despite sharing similar lives to others that are rated poorly. This presentation examines how stakeholder beliefs about kennelled dogs directly influence care practices, revealing several factors can create systematic differences in welfare priorities. Contemporary animal welfare science offers a framework for bridging this perception gap by focusing on dogs’ agency, competence-building, and behavioural preferences alongside traditional health metrics. Transparent welfare assurance grounded in this evidence-based approach is increasingly critical for maintaining social license to operate for working dog programs, as community expectations and regulatory requirements evolve to reflect the recognition of animal sentience. By applying the Five Domains model and examining what dogs actively seek when given opportunities for choice and control, working dog operators can better align practices with both emerging science and public expectations, leading to more sustainable working dog industries.

Coming soon.