Impact of Canine Care Certified™

Among other studies related to the welfare of dogs, our research team has been assessing the impact of our welfare standards. This data is compiled from several research studies conducted by the Croney Research Group from 2017-2024, which support that the Canine Care Certified™ program is associated with improved welfare for dogs.

Methods

Data were collected from 59 commercial breeding facilities in 6 Midwestern states.

Facilities were sorted by Canine Care Certified™ status as follows:

• not certified n=383
• in process (have a copy of the standards and working toward certification) n=170
• certified n=288

A total of 841 dogs were assessed: 751 females and 90 males, representing 63 breeds and crossbreeds.

Dogs from Canine Care Certified™ kennels are more comfortable with humans

A socialized dog sees humans as positive, and are generally receptive to the greetings of a friendly human, even if they are unfamiliar to them.

*In a stranger approach test, more dogs housed in CCC kennels showed friendly behavior toward a stranger than dogs in non-CCC kennels. Dogs from CCC kennels had higher average approach scores.

Signs of Chronic Stress are lower in Canine Care Certified™ kennels

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC), a marker of chronic stress, was 22% lower in dogs from CCC kennels compared to those from non-CCC kennels, suggesting they experienced less stress.

Benefits begin even before Certification

Even dogs from kennels in the process of becoming certified show better welfare metrics than those from non-CCC kennels.