Laterality and performance of agility trained dogs

The influence of lateralization on 19 agility trained dogs (Canis familiaris) was investigated by scoring paw preference to hold a food object and relating it to performance during typical agility obstacles (jump/A-frame and weave poles). In addition, because recent behavioural studies reported that visual stimuli of emotional valence presented to one visual hemifield at a time affect visually guided motor responses in dogs, the possibility that the position of the owner respectively in the left and in the right canine visual hemifield might be associated with quality of performance during agility was considered. Dogs’ temperament was also measured by an owner-rated questionnaire. The most relevant finding was that agility trained dogs displayed longer latencies to complete the obstacles with the owner located in their left visual hemifield respect to the right. Interestingly, results showed that this phenomenon was significantly linked to both dogs' trainability and the strength of paw preference.