Applied Dog Ethology

Question 1

How may genetic factors affect canine behaviour?

Answer 1

Breeds bred for different purposes eg. terriers aloof and independent, gun dogs work closely with handler
Individual differences between puppies

Question 2

How does learning affect canine behaviour?

Answer 2

Especially sensitive period but occurs throughout life

Directs individuals towards important aspects of environment

Question 3

Upon which species are most wolf studies based?

Answer 3

American Timberwolf

- The ancestral species of the dog NO LONGER EXISTS

Question 4

How do wolves hunt?

Answer 4

Large groups, cooperatively

Question 5

How are wolf territories organised?

Answer 5

Groups maintain their own territory

Question 6

What did studies from captive wolf populations show about wolf hierarchy? Why are these flawed?

Answer 6

Separate male and female hierarchies
Only top male and female reproduce - Reporductive suppression of other pack members and cooperative rearing
Pyramidal hierachies
- V artificial set up, both environment and groups of individuals

Question 7

Why are hierarchies necessary in social species?

Answer 7

Enable peaceful coexistence and group stability
Reduce the need for aggressive displays
Structure is based on reproductive strategy
-> though this is not useful to extrapolate to dogs

Question 8

Who challenged the validity of the hierarchical wolf structure?

Answer 8

Lockwood 1975

Mech 1999

Question 9

What do feral dog studies suggest about the setup of social hierarchy?

Answer 9

Reproductive strategy is not restricted to one or two individuals
No co-operative rearing/hunting
Hierarchical relationships exist but these are NOT FIXED - based more on RHP/V theory

Question 10

What is RHP/V theory

Answer 10

Resource holding potential / value(?) theory
Animal will judge whether an interaction is worth it depending on what it thinks the other individuals desire for the resource is and how valuable it is to themselves

Question 11

What is the commonest misconception about social behaviour in dogs?

Answer 11

behaviour (esp aggression) is related to trying to achieve high status and dominance

Question 12

Why have dogs developed the ability to communicate using complex visual signalling?

Answer 12

Necessary to avoid conflict which could lead to injury

Question 13

What is the normal response of a puppy if it is separated from its social group?

Answer 13

Anxiety
Vocalisation to regain social contact
Scrabbling and escape attempts
If any of these are successful they will be repeated, if nothing is successful they will give up

Question 14

If a puppy gives up trying to gain social contact, does this mean they are not stressed?

Answer 14

Stress levels are the same physiologically and separation anxiety can still occur

Question 15

Do wolves or dogs do more signalling?

Answer 15

Wolves

Question 16

How long do adult dogs let puppies get away with inappropriate behaviour for before snapping at them?

Answer 16

Sexual maturity - 6-18 months

Question 17

Are interactions with other dogs generalised or specific?

Answer 17

Some may be specific - particular breed or situation

Some may be generalised - eg. play bow

Question 18

How do breed differences affect social interaction?

Answer 18

Puppies must learn different “dialects” of communication or different breeds
Some breeds cannot signal well due to physical characteristics or cannot see well enough to interpret others

Question 19

Which breeds find social communication particularly hard

Answer 19

Boxers/long haired dogs

Question 20

How may behaviour be misinterpreted by humans? Give eg.

Answer 20

Roll over- dog means go away

Human thinks it means tummy tickle

Question 21

When retraining a dog, how should new commands/signals be given?

Answer 21

Very differently from any existing links already learnt - eg. if usually shouted at in low voice, do not give command for new behaviour in low voice, do baby voice - nothing should be similar about the new stimulus you are trying to teach

Question 22

What is hierarchy?

Answer 22

Stable dominance construct, independant of context

Question 23

What does dominance mean?

Answer 23

A quality of an established relationship between individuals
Not a description of an individual animal, inherited trait or alternative form for aggressive
-> CANNOT be applied to new meetings between individuals or situation

Question 24

If an animal appears confidently aggressive, is this dominance?

Answer 24

No, still fear. Just learnt that confident aggression works best to divert the aversive stimulus or prevent aversive event

Question 25

What does the outcome of an encounter between two dogs depend on?

Answer 25

Context Social situation Type and availability of resource Internal factors eg. health, pain, mood

Question 26

In a multi dog household, why does aggression rarely occur?

Answer 26

Established relationship where each individual evaluates encounters in light of previous experience of other individuals - knows what they value etc

Question 27

When do aggressive behaviours occur?

Answer 27

``` Resources are restricted Sibling pairs (similar value for similar resources) Composition of the group changes (one individual may have been inhibiting aggression of another) During reproductive activity periods - bitch in season has lower aggression threshold ```

Question 28

When are the 4 main sensitive periods for learning?

Answer 28

Pre-natal (eg. HPA axis regulation, if mother ^HPA, pup will have v threshold for HPA activation) Socialisation period (intense nuerogenesis) Juvenile period Sexual maturity

Question 29

What age is the socialisation period of dogs?

Answer 29

3-12 weeks

Question 30

Why is having a socialisation period adaptive?

Answer 30

Rather than being born prepared, can adapt to environment living in First 12 weeks usually spent in den with siblings and family so adaptive to learn that these are normal things

Question 31

How is HPA axis regulation affected pre-natally?

Answer 31

If mother is stressed (^HPA) puppies will be more reactive (v threshed for HPA activation) as this is adaptive

Question 32

How may this impact of maternal hormones on puppies have negative consequences?

Answer 32

Agility dogs - being bred to be highly reactive, -> inability to cope with normal life because so stressed

Question 33

Why were studies on socialisation periods stopped?

Answer 33

Not ethical - extreme deprivation involved

Question 34

At what age do fear behaviours begin to show?

Answer 34

8 weeks / earlier Breed and environment dependent At this age may start to lave the den so should be cautious of new things

Question 35

What type of neonates are dogs?

Answer 35

Altricial - born helpless, relatively limited mobility for first 12 weeks, remaining in den area with mum

Question 36

What type of exposure to stimuli will prevent a fear response forming?

Answer 36

Quiet/low level exposure eg. fireworks - if exposed to fireworks full on will -> sensitisation not habituation

Question 37

What is happening neurobiologically during the sensitisation period?

Answer 37

Immature nerve cells produced New synapses forming Synapses become permanent more easily through differential response of NT GABA Only neural pathway that are used are retained

Question 38

What are the two main outcomes of the socialisation period?

Answer 38

Learns what is normal and not scary Learns what is important and directs behaviour towards achieving this Learns social skills and how to communicate with other dogs

Question 39

Why is play behaviour important in puppies?

Answer 39

Appropriate signalling to initiate play learnt Adults dogs are more tolerant of puppies - may not be able to get away with it later in life Play signals used to communicate with humans too - though these may be misinterpreted

Question 40

What behaviours may be seen in separation related anxiety?

Answer 40

``` Howling barking or whining reported by neighbours Destruction esp of entrance and exit points Toileting Pacing Salivation Panting Displacement activities Compulsive behaviours Not eating Listening ```

Question 41

What behaviours will separation anxious dogs exhibit on owner departure?

Answer 41

``` Looking for cues that being left Following owner ^ Vigilance Anxiety Displacement acitivies Aggression to stop owner leaving ```

Question 42

What behaviours will separation anxious dogs display on return of owner?

Answer 42

``` Variable - may be excessive greeting - May be fearful, hiding, appeasement, avoidance - conflict related behaviour Related to owner response when returning ```

Question 43

What are the three stages of an avoidance response?

Answer 43

Run and hide to get away Appeasement to diffuse the conflict in social situations Aggression to make the threat go away

Question 44

How do avoidance responses develop?

Answer 44

Perceived threat to self or valuable resource Different responses tried Successful response reinforced Successful response elicited more readily Switch to more immediate response pathways in the brain Behaviour then elicit immediately on presentation of the stimulus Behaviour becomes difficult to change

Question 45

What type of response is aggression?

Answer 45

AVOIDANCE

Question 46

How are behaviour problems in dogs classified in the literature?

Answer 46

``` By context (separation related anxiety) By presentation (vocalisation) By target (inter-male aggression) Underlying motivation (dominance/fear aggression) ```

Question 47

Presentations have multiple possible causes eg. barking - list some

Answer 47

Gaining attention Maintaining contact Perceived threat -> whichever is successful is reinforced