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).
