ANSC 378 LECTURE 6

DOG BEHAVIOUR

Learning Outcomes

  • Summarize the evolutionary history and taxonomy of dogs.

  • Compare and contrast domesticated dog behaviour and appearance with those of the wolf.

  • Differentiate tameness from domestication.

  • List common behaviour characteristics of dog breed groups.

  • Describe dog vision and other senses.

  • Summarize what is known about:

    • Foraging and feeding behaviour

    • Sleeping patterns

    • Biological rhythms

    • Social organization

    • Body postures

    • Communication types and purposes

    • Sexual behaviour

    • Maternal-offspring behaviour

    • Play behaviour in dogs

  • Explain the role of hierarchy within domestic dog group structures.

  • Summarize important milestones at each stage of development and identify critical stages of development.

Dogs as Companion Animals

  • Population Data:

    • More than 65 million dogs living in homes.

    • 1/3 of dog lovers share their lives with two or more dogs.

    • Scientific name: Canis familiaris.

Evolutionary History and Taxonomy of Dogs

  • Classification:

    • Related to felines; both dogs and cats are classified under the taxonomical order Carnivora, which includes approximately 300 species.

    • Divided into suborders: Feliformia (catlike) and Caniformia (doglike).

  • Historical Ancestry:

    • Ancestors categorized under the Miacidae family, which were diverse small, slender predators.

    • Around 30 million years ago, diverged into viveravines and miacines.

    • Miacines are ancestors to many canids including wolves, jackals, and others.

    • Domestic dogs belong to the Canis lupus familiaris, part of the Canid or Canidae family.

Village Scavengers

  • Domestication Timeline:

    • Domesticated 12,000-15,000 years ago in Asia.

    • Closest living relative: grey wolf (Canis lupus).

    • Likely domestication was unintentional, occurring as wolves adapted to human habitation, particularly around stagnant or semi-permanent village dumps where a new ecological niche emerged.

    • Provided food, safety from predators, and possibly protected nesting sites.

    • Less timid wolves adapted due to increased tolerance of human proximity.

Difference between Domestication and Tameness

  • Domestication:

    • Occurs at a population level, across many generations; involves selection for traits that tolerate human proximity.

  • Tameness:

    • Happens at an individual level; can be exhibited by both wild and domesticated animals.

Wolf Social Organization

  • Pack Structure:

    • Wolves are social predators, living in packs consisting of related individuals year-round for hunting, rearing young, and territory protection.

    • Social ranking is essential for cooperation during these activities.

    • Maintained through ritualized behaviours, which signal intentions and social rank:

      • Signals of dominance, submission, and appeasement that enhance survival and reproductive success by minimizing conflicts.

Inheriting Social Nature

  • Domestic Doggy Dynamics:

    • Social behaviours evolved with changes in physical appearance and environmental adaptations from wolves.

    • Human provision of food and shelter led to decreased selective pressure for rigid social hierarchical structures in domestic dogs.

    • Domestic dogs retain many of the original wolf’s behaviours indicating social rank.

Relaxing of Pack Order

  • Over generations, the necessity for strict hierarchy has diminished due to shifts from pack hunting to more solitary scavenging behaviours.

  • Some dogs were selectively bred for increased tameness, resulting in the working companions known today.

Variation Observed in the Domesticated Dog

  • Selective breeding has resulted in diverse behaviours among breeds, particularly in establishing and maintaining relationships.

  • In some breeds, social-ranking behaviours are clear, evidenced through actions such as guarding food and toys.

  • In others, rank may not be observable, especially in multi-dog households where competition for resources is minimal.

It's Not All About Dominance

  • Describing dog relationships through the lens of dominance is often misleading; inter-dog relationships are more nuanced.

  • Dogs use various behavioral cues for communication to avoid aggression, contradicting the common “alpha” status narrative.

  • It’s more accurate to view domesticated dogs in the household as a social group rather than a strict pack.

Social Referencing

  • Domestic dogs are attuned to various cues presented by human caregivers, engaging in social referencing:

    • They synchronize their actions with those of their owners

    • The dog-human bond is highly specific and depends on the mutual relationship established.

    • This bond yields numerous physical and psychological health benefits for owners, such as reduced depression and improved self-esteem.

    • Dogs are effectively utilized in therapeutic roles, including pet-assisted therapy.

Example of Social Referencing

  • Not detailed, but highlights the behavior dogs exhibit when influenced by human interactions.

History of Dog Breeds and Breed-Specific Behaviours

  • Selective breeding of dogs has led to a wide variety of breeds, each suited for specific purposes.

  • Common Breed Categories:

    • Sporting Breeds: e.g., pointers and retrievers; aid hunters, energetic, low aggression, trainable.

    • Hounds: e.g., beagles; hunt using scent or sight, often independent, require less guidance.

    • Working Breeds: e.g., boxers, bred for tasks like guarding and pulling sleds; strong bonding to families and moderate aggression.

    • Terriers: Developed to hunt small animals; can show high reactivity and aggression towards other dogs.

    • Toy Breeds: e.g., chihuahua; miniaturized versions, display companion-oriented traits, and high trainability.

    • Herding Breeds: e.g., border collie; highly trainable, instinctively pursue livestock.

Dog Behavioural Biology

Foraging and Feeding Behaviour

  • Dogs are opportunistic scavengers; they consume various animal and plant matter.

  • Some canids are known to hunt and hoard food.

  • Domestic dogs' feeding is predominantly controlled by humans, with preferences leaning towards meat-based diets.

  • Behavioral quirks include:

    • Potential coprophagy (ingesting feces).

Vision

  • Dogs have a less developed vision compared to humans, roughly 4-6 times worse, yet are capable of perceiving movement better and seeing in dim light.

  • Field of Vision:

    • Panoramic: 250-270°

    • Binocular vision varies by breed (e.g., 85° for Pekingese vs 140° for humans).

  • Color Perception:

    • Dogs perceive blue and yellow well, but have difficulty with reds and oranges.

    • Puppies attain visual maturity by 4 months of age.

Smell

  • A dog's sense of smell is highly developed, with approximately 220 million scent receptors.

  • Canines are proficient at following trails and selecting objects linked to individuals.

  • The presence of the vomeronasal organ helps in detecting pheromones related to sexual receptivity.

Hearing

  • Dogs can hear higher frequencies (up to 35-45 kHz) than humans, aiding in prey capture.

  • Dogs exhibit various vocalizations, including barks, growls, and whines.

Biological Rhythms of Canids

  • Active times vary; for instance, wolves are nocturnal, while domestic dogs are typically diurnal, aligning their sleep patterns with their owners.

  • Dogs engage in polyphasic sleep, averaging 1.5 hours per episode with waking periods of around 40 minutes.

Dog Behaviour Basics

Social Organization and Hierarchies

  • Group behaviour appears early in development, with puppies establishing ranks as young as 3-4 weeks.

  • Preferences for breed and littermates can inform social status.

Postures of Dogs

  • Submission: Includes crouching, tail wagging, rolling over.

  • Arousal: Indicators include aggression, tail posturing, and snarling.

Increasing Aggression and Fear

  • Illustrated with a gradient scale showing neutral to aggressive states.

Posturing and Hierarchy

  • Hierarchy functions to stabilize groups and reduce aggression within.

  • Submissive dogs aim to de-escalate potential aggression through body posture and lack of eye contact.

Communication

  • Dogs communicate through a combination of body postures, vocalizations, and scent marking.

  • Social patterns impact future interactions, such as vocalizations prompting a chorus of barks or growls.

Scent Marking, Scratching, and Rolling

  • Dogs use urine marking primarily for communication, with specific behaviours like scratching leaving visual and scent cues.

  • Rolling in odorous substances may indicate rank among dogs.

Tail Wagging

  • The precise role remains somewhat ambiguous, but may assist in scent distribution and signal intentions.

Sexual Behaviour

  • Sexual behaviours begin in young puppies but mature significantly by 7-8 months.

  • The estrous cycle consists of four stages, including proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and anestrus.

Maternal-Offspring Behaviour

  • Gestation averages 63 days; birthing behaviours involve isolation and nest-building.

  • Nursing begins shortly after birth and continues for several weeks, with gradual weaning.

  • The mother plays a significant role in the care and socialization of puppies.

Development of Behaviour

Critical Stages of Development

  • Prenatal to neonatal periods: rely heavily on the mother; senses begin developing.

  • Transitional period: rapid physical changes and social interactions begin.

  • Socialization period: puppies establish social bonds, transitioning into interactions with humans and others.

  • Juvenile period: focus on developing social relationships and behaviors in various contexts.

  • Exposure during 4-16 weeks is crucial for adaptability in later life.

Sources

  • Hart, B.L., Hart, L.A., and Bain, M.J. (2006). Canine and Feline Behavior Therapy. Blackwell Publishing.

  • Campbell, K.L., and Campbell, J.R. (2009). Companion Animals: Their biology, care, health, and management. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

  • Humane Society of the United States.

  • Coppinger, R. and Coppinger, L. (2002). Dogs: A new understanding of canine origin, behavior, and evolution. The University of Chicago Press.

  • Jensen, P. (2007, 2017). The Behavioural Biology of Dogs. CAB International.

  • Blackshaw, J. (1986). Notes on Some Topics in Applied Animal Behavior.

  • Yeates, J. (2019). Companion animal care and welfare. The UFAW Companion Animal Handbook. Wiley Blackwell, Oxford, UK.

*Graphics sources: Microsoft Clip Art; Case (2010), Jensen (2007), Coppinger and Coppinger (2002), C.J. Bench (Kiwi & Dottie).

Evolutionary History and Taxonomy of Dogs

  • Classification: Dogs are classified under the taxonomical order Carnivora and the suborder Caniformia, belonging to the Canid or Canidae family, specifically Canis lupus familiaris. Their ancestors were part of the Miacidae family, which diverged around 3030 million years ago.

  • Domestication Timeline: Domesticated 12,000−15,00012,000-15,000 years ago in Asia, with the closest living relative being the grey wolf (Canis lupus). This likely occurred unintentionally as less timid wolves adapted to human habitation around village dumps, finding food, safety, and nesting sites.

Comparison of Domesticated Dog Behaviour and Appearance with Wolves

  • Ancestry: Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) descended from the grey wolf (Canis lupus).

  • Domestication Process: Wolves adapted to human environments (village scavengers) which eventually led to domestication; this process involved adapting to human proximity.

  • Social Organization: While wolves live in rigid, hierarchical packs of related individuals for cooperative hunting and rearing, domestic dogs' need for strict hierarchy lessened due to human provision of food and shelter. Domestic dogs still retain many wolf social ranking behaviours, but their social dynamics in households are more nuanced and less about strict dominance.

  • Physical Appearance: Not explicitly detailed in the provided note, but domestication typically leads to changes in appearance (e.g., smaller size, varied coat colors, different facial structures) in addition to behavioral shifts.

  • Hunting/Scavenging: Wolves are social predators, while domestic dogs, as opportunistic scavengers, rely on humans for food, leading to a decrease in selective pressure for pack hunting behaviors.

Differentiating Tameness from Domestication

  • Domestication: Occurs at a population level over many generations, involving selection for traits that tolerate human proximity.

  • Tameness: Happens at an individual level and can be exhibited by both wild and domesticated animals.

Common Behaviour Characteristics of Dog Breed Groups

  • Sporting Breeds (e.g., pointers, retrievers): Aid hunters, energetic, low aggression, trainable.

  • Hounds (e.g., beagles): Hunt using scent or sight, often independent, require less guidance.

  • Working Breeds (e.g., boxers): Bred for tasks like guarding and pulling sleds, strong bonding to families, moderate aggression.

  • Terriers: Developed to hunt small animals, can show high reactivity and aggression towards other dogs.

  • Toy Breeds (e.g., chihuahua): Miniaturized versions, display companion-oriented traits, high trainability.

  • Herding Breeds (e.g., border collie): Highly trainable, instinctively pursue livestock.

Dog Vision and Other Senses

  • Vision: Less developed than humans (roughly 4−64-6 times worse), but better at perceiving movement and seeing in dim light. Panoramic field of vision (250−270250-270°), with binocular vision varying by breed. Dogs perceive blue and yellow well but struggle with reds and oranges. Visual maturity is reached by 44 months of age.

  • Smell: Highly developed with approximately 220220 million scent receptors. Proficient at following trails and detecting pheromones via the vomeronasal organ.

  • Hearing: Can hear higher frequencies (up to 35−4535-45 kHz) than humans, aiding in prey capture.

Summary of Dog Behaviours

  • Foraging and Feeding Behaviour: Opportunistic scavengers, consuming varied animal and plant matter. Domestic dog feeding is human-controlled with preferences for meat-based diets. Coprophagy (ingesting feces) can occur.

  • Sleeping Patterns and Biological Rhythms: Domestic dogs are typically diurnal, aligning with owners. They engage in polyphasic sleep, averaging 1.51.5 hours per episode with waking periods of about 4040 minutes. Wolves are often nocturnal.

  • Social Organization: Group behaviour emerges early, with puppies establishing ranks by 3−43-4 weeks. While domestic dogs retain social ranking behaviours, the strict hierarchy seen in wolves has diminished due to human provision of resources. Relationships are nuanced, not solely based on