Investigating the Role of Post-Learning Activities on Memory Consolidation in Scent Detection Dogs

Abstract

Memory consolidation is a flexible process, allowing the strength of memories to be modified by highly arousing positive or negative experiences occurring after learning. Previous studies in dogs have shown that different post-learning activities improve performance on visual discrimination tasks (Affenzeller et al., 2017; Snigdha et al., 2014). Memory consolidation has not been investigated in working dog populations. This study investigates the effect of post-learning activities (social play, individual play, or control) on memory consolidation in working dogs learning a scent detection task. Dogs were trained in one session to find an odor in a line-up, followed by a baseline test and then participated in one of the three post-learning activities for 15 min. Dog’s 24-hour and 1-week retention performance were tested. Salivary cortisol and heartrate were measured around training and interventions. Arousal during training, measured by heart rate, interacted with arousal post-training and baseline reward arousal scores, such that dogs with low baseline arousal in the social play group performed better when they reached higher training heart rates. However, high baseline arousal dogs in the social play group performed worse when reaching higher training heart rates. The results of this study emphasize the importance of selecting training methods to meet the needs of individual dogs. Understanding how arousal during and after training influence memory consolidation may shorten training timelines and improve long-term performance in working dog training.