Dog Behaviour

Question 1

why are dogs excellent predators

Answer 1

• variety of diets
• can incapacitate prey larger than themselves
• packing up
• run fast & good stamina
• long, slender limb, slender toes (phalanx)
• upright standing posture

Question 2

which common tooth do carnivora have

Answer 2

carnassial tooth

-fusion of premolar & molar

Question 3

what is the taxonomy of the dog

Answer 3

Genus - Canis
Species - C. lupus
Subspecies C.I. familiaris

Question 4

What is morphometric analysis (anatomy & shape)

Answer 4

differentiating between candid species

Question 5

what is molecular analysis

Answer 5

karyotypes, allozyme electrophoresis, mitochondrial DNA, microsatellite loci

leads to more conclusive evidence

Question 6

what were tinbergens four questions

Answer 6

cause, purpose, development, effect

1. What causes dog barking
2. what is the function of dog barking
3. how does dog barking develop during ontogeny
4. how has barking developed during phylogeny

Question 7

what is ontogeny and phylogeny

Answer 7

ontogeny: origination and development of an organism
phylogeny: the study of relationships between different organisms & their evolutionary environment

Question 8

what does the cerebral cortex do

Answer 8

• integration of sensory stimuli
• higher learning - reasoning & effect
• includes limbic system

Question 9

what does the limbic system do

Answer 9

contains hypothalamus, thalamus & hippocampus

• behavioural & emotional responses
• feeding, fear, aggression, sexual behaviour

Question 10

What is the central nervous system

Answer 10

the brain and spinal cord

Question 11

what is the peripheral nervous system

Answer 11

everything outside of the brain and spinal cord

-includes autonomic & somatic control

Question 12

what do afferent neurons do

Answer 12

sends nerve signals TO the CNS

Question 13

what do efferent neurons do

Answer 13

send nerve signal AWAY from CNS

Question 14

what is autonomic control

Answer 14

involuntary control (digestion)

Question 15

what is somatic control

Answer 15

voluntary control (weight lifting)

Question 16

what is part of the autonomic system

Answer 16

parasympathetic (relaxation) & sympathetic (excitation)

Question 17

what is ‘key stimuli’

Answer 17

a collection of stimuli that can be linked to specific behaviour response, but is able to be modified.
-linked to behaviour response

Question 18

What does FSH do

Answer 18

increase testosterone in the testes- this will affect growth, maturation, and reproductive behaviour

Question 19

what happens when you castrate a dog

Answer 19

reduces testosterone which alters reproductive behaviour

Question 20

what are the four phases of behaviour development in canids

Answer 20

1. Neonatal
2. Transition
3. Socialization
4. Juvenile

Question 21

what happens during the neonatal phase

Answer 21

• completely depend on mother
• poor movement
• touch & olfactory response
• vocalization
• stimulation required for defecation & urine

Question 22

what happens during the transition phase

Answer 22

2-3 weeks old

• early development of adult traits
• eyes open on day 13
• auditory canal opens on day 18-20
• no longer requires stimulation for defecation & urine

Question 23

what happens during the socialization phase

Answer 23

3-8 week of age

• adult like behaviour problems
• social behaviour begins
• manifestation of fear & aggression
• brain developing for learning

Question 24

what happens during the juvenile phase

Answer 24

2-8 months

• full grown at 8 months
• improved motor abilities
• reproductive maturity
• major development of aggression

Question 25

what is the hierarchy of behaviour

Answer 25

1. reproduction
2. copulation
3. pelvic muscles (mating ability)

Question 26

what do gene mutations affect

Answer 26

animal fitness in a population because the animal will adapt to the environment which will cause their offspring to inherit their adapted trait
-can be either beneficial, neutral, or detrimental

Question 27

what is behaviour affected by

Answer 27

a defined set of multiple genes

Question 28

what are the behaviour differences in the the genetics in a dog vs wolf

Answer 28

alterations (mutations) in the regulatory areas of the genetic code

Question 29

what species has the most ‘social behaviour’

Answer 29

wolves

-have more than domestic dogs + other canids

Question 30

what are 9 characteristics/mechanisms of social behaviour

Answer 30

1. Social Play
2. Fairness
3. Communication skills
4. Communication social hierarchy
5. Family Groups
6. Monogamy
7. Social bonding
8. Parental Care
9. Social Learning ( important for long term pack hierachy)

Question 31

has domestication of dogs affected communication

Answer 31

yes, it has. Their dog-human communication has improved and it has also affected their barking. Dogs have a higher bark frequency and duration.

Question 32

what are 2 highly studied dog personality traits

Answer 32

1. Fearfulness

2. Aggression

Question 33

what are the two criteria for fearfulness

Answer 33

1. Non- Social: loud noise, new household objects

2. social stimuli: unknown people & unknown dogs

Question 34

what are the manifestations and targets of aggressive behaviour

Answer 34

manifestations:
1) threatening
2) attacking

targets:

1) family members
2) strangers
3) unfamiliar dogs

Question 35

what are the less studied dog personality traits

Answer 35

• excitability
• sociability
• playfulness
• trainability

Question 36

what is required in behavioural animal communication

Answer 36

genetics & learning ability

Question 37

what are some forms of sophisticated communication in dogs

Answer 37

• pointing/gestures
• looking (facial gestures)
• words