The relationship between environmental temperature and behavior in neonatal puppies.

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of temperature upon behavior in neonatal puppies. The experiment was based upon the hypothesis that the need for warmth is one of the basic variables determining social contact between siblings and parent. In all 20 puppies were studied, in tests which measured responses to contact with warm and cold surfaces. A warm surface elicited relaxation and sleep, whereas a cold surface resulted in increased vocalization and attempts to leave the field. The results suggest that environmental temperature gradients represent a significant class of variables in determining neonatal responses to the environment.