Advances in Body Condition, Fitness and Cognition in Dogs

Dear Colleagues,

Cognitive processes include memory, attention, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and problem solving, and these encompass what is termed executive function. These processes allow a dog to navigate the human home in which they live and excel at activities such as sports, therapy work, service work, and working dog activities. Factors such as exercise/physical fitness (Bray et al., 2023 [1]; Yarborough et al., 2022 [2]; Mondino et al., 2023 [3]), body condition/obesity, and training (Chapagain et al., 2017, 2020 [4,5]; Marshall-Pescini et al., 2008, 2016 [6,7]; Range et al., 2009 [8], Foraita et al., 2021 [9]) may contribute to executive function in dogs, but the number of studies on this topic are limited. Therefore, better understanding the factors that contribute to executive function in dogs is critical for understanding how to improve their lives and health.

To address this gap, this Special Issue aims to gather original research, reviews, and short communications that advance our understanding of the interplay between body condition, fitness, and cognition in dogs. We welcome submissions focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Mechanistic links between canine body condition (e.g., obesity, underweight, ideal body score) and cognitive processes (memory, attention, inhibitory control, problem solving).
• Effects of different types, intensities, and durations of physical fitness interventions (e.g., endurance exercise, agility training, daily activity) on canine executive function.
• Interactions between training paradigms (e.g., positive reinforcement, clicker training, working dog task training) and physical fitness/body condition in shaping dog cognition.
• Age-related variations in the relationship between body condition, fitness, and cognitive decline or maintenance in dogs.
• Development and validation of assessment tools for evaluating the integrated effects of body condition and fitness on canine cognitive function.
• Nutritional influences on both body condition regulation and cognitive performance, and their combined impact on dog health and behavior.
• Comparative studies on body condition–fitness–cognition dynamics across different dog breeds, sizes, or lifestyle contexts (e.g., companion dogs, working dogs, sports dogs).
• Translational research exploring how optimizing body condition and fitness can enhance cognitive outcomes in clinical or practical settings (e.g., therapy dogs, service dogs, senior dogs).

References

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36129565/#:~:text=Physical%20activity%20was%20robustly

[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-15837-9#:~:text=Yarborough,%20S.,%20Fitzpatrick,%20A.

[3] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1151266/full

[4] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00100/full

[5] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0238517

[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18434043/#:~:text=Abstract.%20This%20study%20investigates%20the

[7] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-016-0960-y

[8] https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.0810957105#:~:text=We%20found%20differences%20in%20dogs%20tested

[9] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-021-01489-1

Dr. Heidi A. Kluess
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• cognition
• executive function
• body condition
• fitness
• physical activity
• canine