Lecture 25: Domestication and Social Behavior

what shapes animal behavior?

• genetics → the code that may override all other influences

• environment → prenatal environment, early sensitive periods

• physiologic/physical state → hormones, pain, organ dysfunction

pet industry

• public safety

• preserving the human-animal bond

• manage and treat behavior problems

• prevent behavior problems in the first place

veterinary clinic setting

• indication of patient illness

• safe animal handling

• patient welfare

• be a source of expertise and guidance

what is necessary for animals to thrive in captive environments?

domestication

domestication

process by which a population if animals becomes adapted to man and to the captive environment by some combination of genetic changes

domesticated

an animal selectively bred in captivity, and thereby modified from its wild ancestors, for use by humans who control the animal’s breeding and food supply

feral

animals that were once domesticated but are no longer cared for by humans

wild

animals that have never been domesticated

tamed

wild animals that have lost their fear of humans

domesticated and wild refer to

species

feral and tamed refer to

individuals

bred in captivity does not mean

domesticated

artificial selection

• human preference for traits

• selection based on behavioral, economic, cultural, or aesthetic reasons vs. survival reasons

natural selection

• wild and domestic species

• selective advantage to survive

dog - canis familiaris

• canis lupus (wolf) ancestor

• less fearful wolves approached humans, became isolated from wild counterparts → domesticated

• oldest fossils date from 11,000 o 12,000 years ago, making dogs the oldest of all domesticated animals

what is neoteny?

the aww factor → retention of juvenile traits in the adult phenotype

cat - felus catus

felis lybica (african wild cat) vs felis silvestris (european wild cat) → felis silvestris lybica

evidence of the domestic cat may date back to

8,000 years ago - Egpyt

domstic cat

• hunted vermin, attracted to human settlements → grain storage attracted rodents, cats served as free exterminators

• started to depend on people

• behavior is similar to wild cat species

farm fox experiment - Beyleav

• selected docile animals who would become tame individuals quickly

• bred these animals together and in a few generations the genetics affecting both behavioral and physical traits changed profoundly

• this is a mini-experiment demonstrating how artificial selection can create a new domesticated species, similarly to the wolf-dog domestication process

social hierarchy

• a state of settled dominant-submissive relationships between individuals

• fighting and/or display behaviors result in ranking of animals in a group to determine preferential access to resources, such as food and mate

dominance

• having preferential access to resources, such as food or mates, over another member of the social group

• an established social status compared to other group members of that animal’s species after repeated interactions

• not an inherent character trait

• is not synchronous with aggression

• not applicable to aggression between unfamiliar animals or between pets and humans

feline solidarity

• independent adults do not form permanent groups

• females accompanied by dependent offspring for up to 80% of their adult lives

feline sociality

• domestic cats (feral)

• females live in matriarchal groups with cooperative rearing of young

feral cats living solely on natural prey are

solitary when not mating or rearing offspring → no communal hunting since prey are small

abundant resources for the domestic cat

• barn cats and cats living around central, abundant resources live in groups

• adult females and their juvenile offspring form core groups → communal rearing of young, males disperse and intermingle for breeding

domestic cats colonies

• several core groups can form a colony in a rerource rich site

• males are associated among these groups → can still see male dispersal, central and peripheral males

• strong ties between same-sex littermates which are maintained through maturity

house cats

• unrelated, neutered cats living together can live in a group

• will form hierarchies

• juvenile cats, related cats, and cats who have lived together longer will show less aggression

• will likely see territorial/status related fighting if abruptly introduce unfamiliar adult cats

implications for house cats

• complex and flexible social structure

• highly dependent on type and availability of resources

• need abundance in multi-cat households to minimize problem behavior

multi-cat hosueholds

• related/familiar cats live together much better

• introduce cats as juveniles

• adopt littermates

• appropriate socialization

type I canine sociality

temporary pair bond is formed between breeding pair during breeding season and males stay to help with rearing and protection of young; solitary hunters for the rest of the year

type II canine sociality

permanent pair bonds live with young throughout breeding season and may remain in the family group to assist with future litters, eventually dispersing

type III canine sociality

• the pack

• 1 breeding pair at a time

• remaining group members are related individuals who assist in rearing of young

• strong male role in rearing and protection of young

• communal hunting of prey

canine sociality in wolves

type I, II, and III exist based on geographical location and individual circumstances

gray wolves

• when resources and circumstances allow, will form type III

• large family of related animals

• male and female linear hierarchies based on lineage

• typically 1 pair of monogamous breeders

• similar age groups based on ritualized threats

• actual fighting/aggression is rare

• defend territory from other packs

• term alpha wolf is inaccurate

free ranging (feral) dogs

• little to no pack structure in most studies

• rare to see cooperative rearing or hunting

• most feral dogs are scavengers, rather than hunters

• females often mate with multiple males

• no established breeding pair

neutered dogs in large groups

• no competition for mates

• dominance over another dog not correlated to age, size, or seniority in the group

• no clear alpha or beta individuals

• dyads formed, but no overriding structure to the entire group, and may change depending on context

in homes with multiple dogs, there may be clear

dyads

household dogs with hierarchy

• at initial greeting, if one dog escalates aggression and the other doesn’t, each dog may alter their behavior in future encounters

• after a series of interactions and learned strategies to either hold onto a resource or avoid conflict an apparent hierarchy may arise

domestic dogs form

semi-structured social groups, not packs

dog - human relationships

not normal for a well-socialized, non-anxious tempered dog to show aggression to familiar people