Lecture 25: Domestication and social behavior

What shapes animal behavior?

Genetics, environment, physiologic/physical state

What is the relevance of behavior in vet med in the pet industry?

public safety, preserving the human-animal bond, manage and treat behavior problems, prevent behavior problems in the first place

What is the relevance of behavior in vet med in the veterinary clinic setting?

indication of patient illness, safe animal handling, patient welfare, be a source of expertise and guidance

What is domestication?

Process by which a population of animals becomes adapted to man and the captive environment by some combination of genetic changes occurring over generations and environmentally induced developmental events recurring during each generation

What is necessary for animals to thrive in captive environments?

Domestication

Domesticated animal

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 animal

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

wild animals

animals that have never been domesticated

tamed animals

wild animals that have lost their fear of humans

What terms refer to species?

domesticated, wild

What terms refer to individuals?

feral and tamed

Genetic changes can occur through

artificial selection, natural selection

What is artifical selection based on?

human preference for traits

What is natural selection based on?

selective advantage to survive

Dogs have what species name?

Canis familiaris

Wolves have what species name?

Canis lupus

What is the oldest of all domesticated animals?

Dogs

How did dogs become domesticated?

Less fearful wolves approached humans and became isolated from wild counterparts

What is neoteny?

retention of juvenile traits in the adult phenotype

What is the scientific name for cats?

Felus catus

How long ago did cat domestication occur?

8,000 years ago

How were cats attracted to human settlements?

hunted vermin near grain storage

What is the farm fox experiment?

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

What is social hierarchy?

A state of settled dominant-submissive relationships between individuals

Is dominance synonymous with aggression?

No

Most felids are

solitary

What kind of groups do feral cats live in?

matriarchal groups with cooperative rearing of young

How do domestic cats live when resources are scare (living solely on natural prey)?

solitary when not mating or rearing offspring

How do domestic cats live when resources are abundant?

Groups, adult females and their juvenile offspring form core groups

Several "core groups" of cats can form

a colony

Are males associated with core groups, colonies, both, or neither?

colonies

How do house cats live socially?

unrelatd neutered cats living together can live in a group

What is needed in multi-cat households to minimize problem behavior?

abundance

What is type I canine sociality?

Temporary pair bond, males stay to help with rearing and protection of young but are solitary hunters for the rest of the year

What is 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

What is type III canine sociality?

the pack, 1 breeding pair at a time, remaining group members are related individuals who assist in rearing of young, communal rearing, communal hunting

Is the term alpha wolf accurate in wild living wolves?

No

Do feral dogs form a pack?

No

What social structure do household dogs form?

semi-structured social groups, not packs

What are reasons for a well-socialized, non-anxious tempered dog to show aggression to familiar people?

fear, pain, conflict, malnourishment, aggressiveness in resource guarding