Grazing environment plays a key role in the welfare of domestic herbivores. In the UK, donkeys are typically kept on species-poor, agriculturally improved grasslands that offer limited dietary and behavioural opportunities. Obesity, driven by low exercise levels and unsuitable diet, remains a primary welfare concern in this species. This study examined whether field habitat heterogeneity, measured as structural variation, botanical diversity, and sward height, affects donkey welfare. Over a six-month grazing season, three donkey herds rotationally grazed 10 fields that differed in their level of habitat heterogeneity. Animal herd welfare was assessed using Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) of 194 videos, each scored independently by three trained enumerators. Habitat heterogeneity had a highly significant influence on donkey herd emotional states. Fields with greater structural variation were associated with more energetic behavioural expressions, while taller swards were linked to calmer, more relaxed states. Taller grass may have reduced competition for resources, leading to a more relaxed herd, while structural variation created environmental differences that encouraged more energetic expressions. These findings demonstrate that increasing field habitat heterogeneity can promote positive welfare states in donkeys, highlighting the importance of integrating environmental or semi-natural habitat features into grazing management practices.

Attending puppy training classes may help to improve the human–dog relationship and the overall behaviour and trainability of the dog, yet class attendance and the structure and content of classes are not well known. This study aimed to describe the size and structure of classes attended and reasons for non-attendance, and to identify factors associated with training class attendance, by owners of puppies under 19-weeks-old. In a sample of 2187 owners participating in the ‘Generation Pup’ study, 67% reported attending at least one training class. Factors associated with increased odds of class attendance were higher household income, previous intention to attend, first-time ownership, and/or those who received a puppy information pack at acquisition. The likelihood of attending decreased as the acquisition age of the puppy increased. Classes were reported to vary in relation to the number, age, and size of puppies. Class content also varied, for example, in relation to opportunities for puppies to play with each other and training advice given. Common reasons for non-attendance included owners wanting to work with the puppy themselves and/or no suitable classes being available. These data may help to better understand training class attendance for young dogs and could inform strategies to encourage attendance amongst the dog-owning population.