Ethology Flashcards
Dogs branched off from the wolf
between 80,000 and 130,000 years ago
Domestic dog differs from wolf by
0.2% of mitochondrial DNA sequence.
Common ancestor of dog and wolf
Both dog and wolf fall under the genetic umbrella of the gray wolf (Canis lupis-gray wolf, Canis lupus familiaris-domestic dog)
How did wolves come to be tamed and domesticated?
Early wild dogs (proto-dogs) may developed from living in close proximity of humans and their villages and forming a symbiotic relationship. Dogs got food scraps with little effort and humans had garbage cleanup and were possibly alerted to dangers and/or prey for hunting. These dogs would have had a decreased flight response.
Animals can be tamed by patient handling and socialization but cannot be considered domesticated until they have undergone extensive behavioral and biological changes resulting from the selective breeding over the course of many generations. When breeding for specific behaviors the physical characteristics of the animal will also change.
Wolves and dogs are different due to influences in their respective evolutionary paths.
Neoteny
the scientific term for the retention of juvenile traits by adults including morphological traits (looks, form, structure) and behavioral traits (actions, response to stimuli).
Critical periods
times in a dog’s life when experiences have a greater influence on development than other times.
Critical socialization period
3-16 weeks of age. Onset and closing of this window differs within a breed.
Behavioral maturity
Dogs do not become behaviorally mature until 1-2 years of age.
Age dogs are capable of breeding
at 6 months
Engrams
movement learned through the development and storage of familiar motor actions.
Reticular activating system
the attention center in the brain. Where activities in the outside world are perceived, processed, and ultimately, acted upon.
Limbic system
a network of cells in the brain that integrates instinct and learning. The conflict between what a dog instinctively wants to do and what we teach them to do takes place in this system. Involved in emotions like fear. If this system is activated, the cerebral cortex is inhibited and vice versa.
Opposition reflex
a reflex in the dog that helps them try to maintain equilibrium. The dog’s body opposes pressure.
Ian Dunbar Bite Scale
Level 1. Obnoxious or aggressive behavior but no skin-contact by teeth.
Level 2. Skin-contact by teeth but no skin-puncture. However, may be skin nicks (less than one tenth of an inch deep) and slight bleeding caused by forward or lateral movement of teeth against skin, but no vertical punctures.
Level 3. One to four punctures from a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. Maybe lacerations in a single direction, caused by victim pulling hand away, owner pulling dog away, or gravity (little dog jumps, bites and drops to floor).
Level 4. One to four punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. May also have deep bruising around the wound (dog held on for N seconds and bore down) or lacerations in both directions (dog held on and shook its head from side to side).
Level 5. Multiple-bite incident with at least two Level 4 bites or multiple-attack incident with at least one Level 4 bite in each.
Level 6. Victim dead.
Level 1 Bite
Obnoxious or aggressive behavior but no skin-contact by teeth.
Level 2 Bite
Skin-contact by teeth but no skin-puncture. However, may be skin nicks (less than one tenth of an inch deep) and slight bleeding caused by forward or lateral movement of teeth against skin, but no vertical punctures.
Level 3 Bite
One to four punctures from a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. Maybe lacerations in a single direction, caused by victim pulling hand away, owner pulling dog away, or gravity (little dog jumps, bites and drops to floor).
Level 4 Bite
One to four punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. May also have deep bruising around the wound (dog held on for N seconds and bore down) or lacerations in both directions (dog held on and shook its head from side to side).
Level 5 Bite
Multiple-bite incident with at least two Level 4 bites or multiple-attack incident with at least one Level 4 bite in each.
Level 6 Bite
Victim Dead
Dog vocal signals
Barking, whining, growling, etc.
Ear body language
forward= bold, confident, offensive back=appeasement/greeting or fearful or defensive
Eye body language
hard stare(prolonged/cold)=offensive threat looking away= fear, submission, wants space Whale eye and dilated pupils= fearful, defensive
Mouth, muzzle, teeth, tongue body language
offensive/threatening=tensing of face, lips retracting showing teeth, tongue flicks
submissive=submissive grins
Tail body language
wagging tail= arousal or excitement high tail= confidence, alertness, may include flagging low tail- submission or fear
Stress body language
low tail, panting, sweaty paws, lowered posture, turning head away, ears back, pupil dilation, drooling, excessive shedding, trembling
Body position body language
leaning forward/straight spine= confidence and offensive behavior leaning away/curving body/lowering head and body= submission, fear, defensive may roll on back
Displacement behaviors
yawning, lip licking, scratching, genital sniffs/licks
Calming signals
yawning, sniffing, lip licking, blinking, turning away/curving, scratching
Triggers for aggression
dominance, possessiveness, protectiveness, territorial, pain, fear, redirected aggression, social aggression, predatory behavior
7 AKC Dog Breed Groups
Sporting Group · Hound Group · Working Group · Terrier Group · Toy Group · Non-Sporting Group · Herding Group
Selective Breeding Began
300-500 years ago
Temperament
Nature and Nurture (Phylogenetic and Environment) plus the experiences that occur during the critical periods.
Critical Zone
Dog’s personal space dependent on environment and stress levels
Greeting Behavior
mutual curving nose to tail, somewhat relaxed body and lose wagging tail. If dog is unsure body may be stiff and tail may be high and wagging slowly
Agonistic
Combative
Options dogs use to resolve social or competitive disputes
Avoidance, Appeasement, Submission
Social Facilitation
Pack Mentality, following the lead of other dogs
Predatory Drift
dogs getting along fine then suddenly something causes heightened arousal, triggers limbic response, making one dog regard the other as prey
Secondary Socialization Stage
7-12 weeks, time to bond with humans
First Fear Period
8-11 weeks. Shouldn’t be exposed to scary events such as being shipped or undergoing elective surgery
Adult Teeth Come in
3-4 months
Juvenile Period
4-8 months, begin maturing sexually, training regression, selective attention/hearing, boundary testing
Secondary Fear Period
5-18 months (same as impact/adolescent period)
More social development, cautious and slow moving in new situations
Senior Dog Age
7+ years
Flehmen Response
Flicking the tongue in and out of the mouth to recieve olfactory information from the environment
DAP
dog-appeasing pheromone
Calming during stressful situations
