Cortisol
Salivary cortisol wasmeasured for all samples that could
be obtained in an adequate quantity. Therefore, all the dogs
had saliva samples collected at T0, T1 and at T2 pre-test condition. Seventeen dogs had T2 post-test condition saliva
sample, 14 dogs had T3 pre-test condition sample and 12
dogs had T3 post-test saliva sample.
All results of cortisol measurements of pre- and
post-test conditions in the two groups at the different
experimental sessions are summarized in Table 6.
No significant variations have been reported in basal
cortisol levels between group A (mean = 2.72 nmol/L ±
0.21) and group B (mean = 2.34 nmol/L ± 0.19), as well as
in pre- and post-test cortisol levels at the different experimental
sessions. One-way ANOVA for repeated measures
and Kruskal–Wallis test showed no significant variations
in group B, whereas significant differences were reported
in group A cortisol pre-test levels (P = 0.009164). In details,
Wilcoxon test showed a significant decrease in salivary cortisol
levels between T1 vs T2 (P = 0.003598) and between T1
vs T3 (P = 0.001162).
Cortisol post-test levels and Heart Rate Variability (FFT
method) data reported no significant correlations in both
groups.
Cortisol post-test levels and behavioural data derived
by test responses reported significant correlations in
both groups. In details, group A showed a positive correlation
(Tau = 0.73; P = 0.03) at T3 in test 3. Group B
showed significant negative correlations at T2 in test 1
(Tau = −0.73; P = 0.03), test 4c (Tau = −0.71; P = 0.049) and
test 5b (Tau = −0.83; P = 0.016).