Il mondo Auditivo degli Animali: Percezione, Localizzazione e Reazioni Emotivi ai Suoni. Attraverso le Orecchie di Cani e Delfini

Understanding the sensory perception of companion animals and captive species is crucial for enhancing their welfare and providing suitable resources to meet their needs and improve their quality of life. Hearing is a key aspect of sensory perception, and studying auditory capabilities in animals is essential for understanding how species interact with their environment and communicate. Research on dogs has gained prominence due to their co-evolution with humans, improving welfare in working, training, and everyday interactions. Similarly, there is growing interest in enhancing the welfare of captive species, particularly through environmental enrichment. However, studies on auditory perception remain limited, and sound-based enrichment has often been applied using inadequate methods. Addressing these gaps is critical to developing effective welfare practices. This PhD consists of four main studies. The first study assessed hearing thresholds in five dogs using the staircase method, determining thresholds at low, medium, and high frequencies. Results demonstrated the method's feasibility and revealed dogs' sensitivity to higher ultrasound frequencies than previously reported. The second study used the staircase method to assess dogs’ sound localization abilities through the Minimal Audible Angle (MAA) test, revealing a broader range of MAA and perceptual learning which had not been previously examined due to methodological constraints. The third study examined dogs' preference and emotional reactions to various sounds, including conspecific vocalizations, classical music, relaxing music and dog-directed speech. Although none of the sounds elicited a clear preference, we observed that music, in general, promoted calmness. Additionally, dogs previously exposed to classical music stayed in the sound zone twice as long as those unfamiliar with it. The final study tested classical music as enrichment for captive bottlenose dolphins compared to other types of enrichments (auditory vs visual; novel vs non-novel; complex vs simple sound), revealing positive effects of classical music on affiliative behaviors, indicating its potential in improving welfare for captive marine mammals. These studies contribute to our understanding of auditory perception and highlight the importance of sound as a tool for improving the welfare of both companion animals and captive species.