Animal Behavior Flashcards
____ have the largest morphological variation of any species
Dogs
What are the morphological and behavioral differences between wolves and dogs?
- Morpholocial - dogs have paedomorphism (retention of puppy-like traits)
- Behavioral - dogs are nonseasonal breeders, have reduced parental care, are hypersocial, have a reduced predatory sequence
What are sensitive periods?
Formerly critical periods. They are time periods in which environmental factors are particularly potent in affecting an animals behavior.
When does maximal socialization occur for dogs?
Weeks 4-8
Dog sensory development periods.
Smell - 8-13d
Hearing - 19.5d, reliably 25d
Vision - open 13d, see forms 25d, guided 4 wk, mature 8 wk
Onset of fear in dogs
49 days on average. However, there are different levels of socialization needed for different breeds as fear expression varies based on breed.
What are the main developmental stages in dogs?
Neonatal - 0-12 days
Transitional - 13-20 days
Socialization - 3-12 weeks
Juvenile - 12+ weeks
Sexual maturity - ~1 year
Social maturity - 1-3 years
Neonatal period of dogs
0-12 days. Respond to stimulation slowly, mostly reflexive behavior, cannot thermoregulation
Transition period of dogs
13-20 days. Eyes and ear open, startle reaction to sound, tail wagging, control of bodily functions, walking, backwards and forwards, social bonding with littermates, pain perception developed, first teeth, beginning of ingestive behavior
Socialization period of dogs 1.
Weeks 3-14. Individuals noticed at a distance, mother starts to leave pups alone, strong relationships between siblings, learning various canine behaviors
Socialization period of dogs 2.
3-12 weeks. Learn positive associations with humans, fear onset begins, EEG similar to adults, START TRAINING DESIRABLE BEHAVIORS (sit/stay, bite inhibition, leash walking, etc.)
Fear period in dogs.
8-11 weeks (varies by breed). Temporarily more fearful, continue socialization but at appropriate level with lot of positive associated.
MAY have second fear period between 6-14 months, anecdotal evidence.
Juvenile stage in dogs
11-16 weeks. Becomes more bold, contacting more reinforcers in the environment, less dependent on humans. Prefrontal cortex is not fully developed, need to continue training for what you wan but might have fits and starts.
When do behavioral issues, espeically dog-dog, start to occur?
Social maturity - 1-3 years of age
Effects of early gentle handling of neonates?
More locomation, more exploratory behavior, more emotional stability
How should we socialize dogs?
- Ensure puppy always feels safe while still challenging them slightly
- Scaffold challenges
- Make exposure fun by pairing with treats and toys
- Pay attention to signs of stress and remove puppy immediately
- Make sure the dog isn’t overwhelmed as this can sensitize them and make them more scared.
Impacts of socialization deficits in dogs
- Fearfullness of other dogs, people, or settings - freezing, lower rates of conspecific engagement, less likely to approach humans
- Over arousal
How do you socialize an undersocialized adult dog?
- NOT a dog park or daycare
- Contact professional who uses + reinforcement
- Muzzle train undersocialized dog
- Start with one-one-one sessions with a dog savvy dog - undersocialized dog muzzled untill confident of its reactions, also on leash or long line, short and sweet
- Move on to other dogs that are more boisterous
What is ‘rude’ for dogs?
Direct approach, staring, reaching
Describe how morphological variations can impact communication between dogs.
Cropped ears and tails might restrict some communication or lead to misinterpretation.
What are the two points of domestication for cats?
Modern day Turkey & Egypt. Spread by humans along the trade routes and interbred with native wild cats.
Feline sensory development
- Eyes open 7-10d, fully open 14d
- Ears open 7d
- Olfaction 4 wks
- Acuity in sight 5 wks
What are the developmental stages in felines?
- Neonatal - 0-14d
- Transitional 14-21d
- Socialization 3-9 weeks
- Juvenile 9+ weeks
- Sexual maturity 4-12 months
- Social maturity 2-4 years
Neonatal stage in cats
0-2 weeks. Separation from mom or littermates can lead to social issues as adults. Visual progression maturing.
Transitional stage in cats
2-3 weeks of age. Increasing sensory abilities.
Socialization stage in cats
3-9 weeks (shorter than dogs). Sensory systems fully mature, walking and using litterbox, 7-14 weeks most active phase, conspecifics, going to new places including vet
Juvenile stage in cats
9 weeks to about 4-12 months. Still part of kittens most active phase. Still more exploratory, continue socialization.
Sexual maturity and social maturity in cats
Sexual - 4 to 10 months
Social - 2-4 years
Natural social behavior of cats
- Flexible - can live alone or in colonies
- May take weeks for a new cat to be integrated into a colony
- Females engage in communcal care for kittens in a colony
Cat behavior compared to dogs
More independet, harder to train
ABC assessment of behavior
Antecedent - Behavior - Consequence
Behavioral prognosis: intensity, frequency, predicatability, owner compliance
- Increased intensity and frequency = decreased prognosis
- Increased predictability and owner compliance = increased prognosis
Options for behavioral problems in small animals.
- Management
- Behavior modification
- Rehoming
- Behavioral euthanasia
Management strategies….
Do not teach the animal anything new, they just reduce the likelihood of inducing undesirable behavior and fear. They help prevent the animal from learning an undesirable behavior that causes problems in the future.
Cooperative strategies
Uses management or conditioning strategies that reduce the need to physically manipulate or restrain animals. They are participating in their own care.
Examples of management strategies
Waiting for admission to clinic
Entering the exam room first
Keep species separate in clinic.
Cats restrained passively had…
lower respiration rates than those restrained by full body restraint, fewer negative ear positions than all other restraint methods
Cats restrained passively or scruffed had…
Less dilated pupils than cats restrained by clips or full body restraint
