Dog Behaviour

Question 1

Dog/cat taxonomical order?

Answer 1

Carnivora

Question 2

Miacidae family includes

Answer 2

small, slender, tree dwelling predators

Question 3

When were dogs domesticated

Answer 3

12,000-15,000 yrs ago

Question 4

Miacines include

Answer 4

Dogs, other canids, bears, weasels, raccoons

Question 5

Closest living relative to the dog

Answer 5

grey wolf (canis lupus)

Question 6

How were wolves domesticated

Answer 6

Ice age= ppl less nomadic, wolves that tolerated humans got food/shelter, were then bred/selected for over generations

Question 7

Domestication vs tameness

Answer 7

Tameness = individual level (in one lifetime) (fight/flight threshold smaller)
Domestication = species level

Question 8

Canalized

Answer 8

produce the same phenotype regardless of variability of its environment or genotype

Question 9

Purpose of ritualized signals?

Answer 9

Dominance, submission & appeasement enhance survival and reproductive chances of individuals and the pack

Question 10

What social variation is observed in dogs in pair relationships? Why?

Answer 10

In some cases, ranks are obvious (dog guards food, bed, toys, etc w/ aggression)
In other dogs, not obvious (might guard food, not toys, multiple-dog houses might not guard at all (no competition for resources))

Selective breeding for different functions

Question 11

What is meant by social referencing. Example?

Answer 11

Dogs pick up on emotional, behavioural, communicative cues presented by owners, mirrors them back.
e.g. when leaving for vacation, if you’re stressed so are they

Question 12

Example of sporting breeds and characteristics

Answer 12

Pointers, setter, retrievers, spaniels

Aid hunters (locate, flush, retrieve game)

Energetic and active, trainable, social, low aggressivity

Question 13

Characteristic of hounds (breeds, personality, use)

Answer 13

Scent and sight

Hunting (scent hounds and sight hounds)

Independent (ahead of hunter)

Greyhounds and whippets (sight), bloodhounds, etc

Question 14

Characteristics of working breeds and examples

Answer 14

Akita, boxer, rottweiler, husky, etc

Guard property/livestock, pull sleds, water rescues

high reactivity, moderate-high in aggression

Strong bond to one person or family, highly trainable

Question 15

Characteristics of terriers & breeds

Answer 15

Mini schnauzer, wire fox terrier, bull terrier

Find/kill small rodents (high instinct to chase small things)

Independent (when they see a small animal, they go), low-medium trainability, reactive

Predatory response, inter-dog aggression

Question 16

Characteristics and examples of toy breeds

Answer 16

Chihuahua, Pekinese, pug, poodle, shih tzu

Miniaturization of other breed (behaviour similar to larger)

Neotenized features (youthful features)

Bonding w humans, puppy-like behaviours, highly trainable

Question 17

Herding breed characteristics and examples

Answer 17

Border collie, german shepherd, shetland sheepdog

Move livestock, highly trainable

Strong bond, reactive, high chase instinct

Question 18

What is coprophagy

Answer 18

Ingesting feces

Question 19

Feeding behaviour of canids

Answer 19

Opportunistic scavengers, hunt prey and hoard excess

Question 20

Why would dogs do coprophagy?

Answer 20

Mostly small (not uniquely)

Nutritional deficits, genetics, learned behaviour?

Concerning bc of parasites

Question 21

How many scent receptors do dogs have

Answer 21

220 million

Question 22

What frequencies can dogs hear up to vs child

Answer 22

45 KHz (ultrasound)
Child = 20 KHz

Question 23

What percent of wolf vocalization is barking?

Answer 23

2%

Question 24

What is crepuscular? What kind of canids are crepuscular

Answer 24

In cooler temperatures, opportunity to hunt prey greater
Dingos, African wild dogs

Question 25

When do wolves and foxes hunt

Answer 25

nighy

Question 26

What kind of biological rhythm do dogs follow?

Answer 26

Diurnal sleep when their owners do

Question 27

What is polyphasic?

Answer 27

several bouts of sleep per night (phases of sleep cycle)

Question 28

When is group behaviour learned

Answer 28

Puppy development, 5-6 wks (play fighting in litter)

Question 29

Why don't animals want to fight

Answer 29

energy depriving

Question 30

When breeds are of a similar size, what can determine rank?

Answer 30

Temperament

Question 31

Submissive posture

Answer 31

Crouching, tail wagging, rolling over, looking small

Question 32

Arousal (play or aggression) posture

Answer 32

Aggressive, ears back, tail up, snarl, play-soliciting behaviour

Question 33

Traits of fear aggression

Answer 33

Animal makes body small, but sending mixed messages with raised hackles, snarling, etc

Question 34

What is the function of the hierarchy

Answer 34

Stability, reduce intra-group aggression

Question 35

What is allelomimetic behaviour

Answer 35

When multiple animals do the same thing at the same time

Question 36

What is social facilitation

Answer 36

When one dog starts barking/howling, then others start to follow

Question 37

What can tail wagging indicate?

Answer 37

Context-specific: Anxious/nervous, friendly/confident, aggressive Might also distribute odour

Question 38

When are dogs sexually mature vs wolves

Answer 38

Dogs = 7-8 months Wolves = 22 months

Question 39

Female dogs are diestrous, what is that?

Answer 39

heat twice annually

Question 40

What are the stages of the estrous cycle

Answer 40

Proestrus (2 wks): blood, restless, seek male attention, unreceptive to mating Estrus (10-21 days): receptive to mounting, once mated can end early Metestrus (2 months): period of pregnancy (false/pseudo pregnancy commo) Anestrus (4-5 months): reproductive inactivity

Question 41

What is the lordosis stance

Answer 41

When female receptive to mounting, she elevates her rump and lifts her tail to one side

Question 42

How do puppies find the teat

Answer 42

Olfactory cues, nudging, heat

Question 43

When are puppies fully weaned

Answer 43

8 wks

Question 44

What happens to mom 5 wks after birth?

Answer 44

Decreased milk supply to prep for weaning

Question 45

Dogs are altricial, what is this?

Answer 45

Helpless at birth, unable to see or hear, limited movement

Question 46

What is the prenatal period

Answer 46

63 days from conception to partruition

Question 47

What is the neonatal period

Answer 47

0-14 days, rely on mom (elimination, food), eyes/ear canals closed, limited movement (reflex-driven). Whine, grunt, mew

Question 48

What is the transitional period

Answer 48

14-21 days, Neurological and physical change. Eyes open day 13, ear canals day 18-21. Can eliminate by themselves, increased motor skills (walk clumsy), play-fighting and tail wagging

Question 49

What is the socialization period

Answer 49

3-10 wks of age, adult patterns of behaviour. Senses/motor abilities developed, time away from mother (less sleeping/feeding). Teeth erupt. Social bonds with mother, littermates and ppl

Question 50

What is the juvenile period

Answer 50

10 wks to sexual maturity. Rapid growth (fully grown 8 months), adult teeth at 5 months, removed from mother. Social interactions, puberty (male=slow, female= first heat)

Question 51

Why do dogs scratch

Answer 51

Visual or scent cues left from toes or foot pads

Question 52

Why do dogs roll

Answer 52

A strong smell will indicate a high ranking dog

Question 53

Why do dogs scent mark

Answer 53

Urine and anal glands expelled. Status-seeking behaviour (higher ranking dogs raise leg urinate). Females do it more during estrus to attract males. Feces serve no purpose for dogs

Question 54

When does whelping usually take place, how long does it take

Answer 54

Night time, 3-6 hours

Question 55

What is dystocia

Answer 55

Difficult labour

Question 56

How does a female act before parturition

Answer 56

Restless, secluded, build nest

Question 57

When can puppies eliminate by themselves

Answer 57

Transitional stage (2-3 weeks)

Question 58

How long do puppies suckle

Answer 58

3-4 weeks, then slowly weaned off (at 5 weeks moms milk supply decreases)

Question 59

When are puppies weaned

Answer 59

Around 8 weeks

Question 60

How does wolf weaning differ from dogs

Answer 60

Dogs = suckle 3-4 weeks, mom starts to regurgitate Wolf = mom feeds by regurgitation for first 4 weeks, teaches them to hunt

Question 61

Dogs are altricial, what is this?

Answer 61

Born relatively helpless

Question 62

What happens if a dog is removed from te litter before 6 weeks

Answer 62

Deprived of social interactions, might lead to behaviour problems towards other dogs later

Question 63

When do dogs begin to display play behaviours. What does this look like and why is it important

Answer 63

5-6 weeks Play bow posture Teaches them to control intensity of bite and social limits

Question 64

How do dogs communicate

Answer 64

Posturing, vocalizations, facial expressions, scent marking

Question 65

How is rank determined

Answer 65

Posturing, vocalization, possibly fighting

Question 66

Does weight matter in female pairs?

Answer 66

No

Question 67

How do dogs learn social organization/hierarchy

Answer 67

Being in group litter, tests of strength during play fighting establish rank

Question 68

What is a dogs foraging/feeding behaviour

Answer 68

Opportunistic scavengers Some will hunt/hoard (all resources — not just food) Feeding controlled by people

Question 69

What are the miacines

Answer 69

Ancestor of canid species (dog, wolves, foxes, coyotes) as well as bears, weasels, raccoons

Question 70

what is the crucial development period

Answer 70

4-16 weeks expose to different people, places, animals, environments less fearful/aggressive later on