Which sample (blank, baseline, or stress) the dog performed their alert behaviour on was measured. In Phase Two, the dog was presented with the stress sample, the same participant’s baseline sample (taken pre-task), and a blank. In Phase One, the dog was presented with a participant’s stress sample (taken immediately post-task) alongside two blanks (the sample materials without breath or sweat), and was required to identify the stress sample with an alert behaviour. Each session consisted of 10 Phase One training trials and 20 Phase Two discrimination trials.
Thirty-six participants’ samples were presented to four dogs across 36 sessions (16, 11, 7 and 2 sessions, respectively). Participants’ stress was validated with self-report and physiological measures recorded via a Biopac MP150 system. Combined breath and sweat samples were obtained from participants at baseline, and after a stress-inducing (mental arithmetic) task. This study tested whether baseline and stress odours were distinguishable to dogs, using a double-blind, two-phase, three-alternative forced-choice procedure. Previous research suggests that dogs can detect when humans are experiencing stress.
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