Midterm 2: Dog Behaviour Flashcards
What taxonomical order are both dogs and cats classified within?
Carnivora
- common ancestor way way back; technically related
What were the very first carnivores collectively referred to as?
Miacidae (family)
- A diverse group of small, slender, tree-dwelling predators, somewhat weasel-like in appearance
What is the oldest ancestor of the domestic cat?
Viveravines
- about 30 million years ago, viveravines branched off from miacines
Miacines
Included with the dog, are the ancestors for other canid species (wolves, jackals, coyotes and foxes) as well as the bear, raccoon and weasel
Canis (lupus) familiaris belongs to what family?
The Canid or Canidae family
Is there 1 agreed upon version of the domestication of dogs?
NO! There are many
How many years ago was the dog domesticated?
12,000-15,000 years ago on the Asian continent
What is the closest living relative to the domestic dog?
Genetic evidence it’s the grey wolf (Canis lupus)
How are dogs believed to have been domesticated?
Believed to be unintentionally domesticated and occurred as wolves adapted to a new ecological niche…the village dump.
During the Ice Age, humans became less nomadic and spent more time in semi-permanent villages
- Created new ecosystems
- Provided a food source, some safety from predators, and the potential for protected nesting sites
- Wolves are opportunistic scavengers, capable of consuming and thriving on a highly varied and omnivorous diet
- This environment favoured less timid wolves with a higher tolerance of human proximity (less fear)
Difference between DOMESTICATION and TAMENESS
Domestication
- always talking about the POPULATION
- takes YEARS
*you can have a domesticated dog but it is not tame
Tamenes
- always talking about the individual
- takes place during their lifetime
*you can have a tame bear but it is not domesticated
What is the social organization of wolves?
The wolf lives as a highly social, predatory species
- Live in packs consisting of small groups of related individuals who remain together throughout the year to hunt, rear young, and protect a communal territory.
Why is social ranking within a wolf pack important? How social ranking maintained?
Facilitates cooperation that is needed for hunting, raising young, and protecting territories together. *very much linked to survival
Maintained using highly ritualized behaviours that signal an individual wolf’s intentions and rank.
- Ritualized signals communicate: dominance, submission, and appeasement which enhance the survival and repro chances of each individual and THE PACK AS A WHOLE
- Serves to minimize aggressive interactions btw members
How does the social organization of domesticated dogs compare to wolves?
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR in domestic dogs has been modified along with the divergence in PHYSICAL APPEARANCE from the wolf.
- Specifically, the provision of food, shelter, and protection from other predators removed selective pressure for the ranked social groups
Domestic dogs have also retained parts or all of the wolf’s RITUALIZED BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS that fxn to signal dominance and submission
- the degree to which dominance and submission are exhibited have been relaxed and are not displayed for the same reasons
How did relaxing of pack order occur?
Selective pressure for social hierarchies and strict pack order RELAXED as pack-hunting behaviours were replaced by semi-solitary or group-scavenging behaviours.
- individual dogs were eventually chosen for further taming
- through many generations of selective breeding, dogs became who we know today
Generations of selective breeding to develop dogs for different fxns diversified the dog with regard to the ways in which individuals what?
Form and maintain pair relationships
- In some dogs, ranks are obvious
- In other dogs, displays are not as obvious (context affects the behaviour)
In many multiple-dog homes, rank order is not clearly evident, why?
The dogs show little or no competition for resources.
Why is it not all about dominance?
We have intentionally selected for this not to be the same as wolves! Describing all dog social behaviour in terms of who is dominant and who is subordinate is misleading.
Why does the popularized portrayal of dog-to-dog relationships as consisting of endless struggles to achieve “alpha” status not generally apply?
- Ignores the context-specific nature of most inter-dog relationships
- More accurate to describe the domesticated dogs in your home as a SOCIAL GROUP rather than as a pack
Unlike the wolf, the domestic dog is attuned to the emotional, behavioural and communicative cues presented by human caregivers, what is this called?
Social referencing
What is social referencing?
A dog’s ability to synchronize its actions to those of its owners.
- unlike the wolf, the domestic dog is attuned to the emotional, behavioural and communicative cues presented by its human caregivers
The relationship btw a dog and its caregiver is very what?
Very owner-pet specific; success of the pairing is depended on the bond established.
What are a couple benefits from the relationship owners have with their dogs?
- Physical and psychological health benefits
- Therapeutic capacity
What are 6 common breeds of dogs?
- Sporting breeds (pointers, setters, retrievers, spaniels)
- Hounds (scent and sight)
- Working breeds (akita, boxer, rottweiler, husky, etc)
- Terriers (miniature schnauzer, wire fox terrier, bull terrier, etc)
- Toy breeds (chihuahua, pekinese, pug, poodle, shih tzu, etc)
- Herding breeds (border collie, german shepherd, shetland sheepdog)
What were sporting breeds developed for?
- Developed to aid hunters by LOCATING, FLUSHING, AND RETRIVING GAME
- Energetic and active
- Highly trainable and social, low in aggressive reactivity
What were hounds developed for?
- Developed for hunting. Scent hounds FOLLOW a scent TRAIL TO FIND GAME, while sight hounds use eye sight and speed to chase and capture
- Hounds work ahead of the hunter and are independent/aloof
- Greyhound and whippet known for gentle and quiet disposition
What were working breeds developed for?
- Were bred to GUARD PROPERTY OR LIVESTOCK, PULL SLEDS, OR PERFORM WATER RESCUES
- high in reactivity and moderate to high in aggression
- bond strongly to one person or family
- highly trainable when raised in a structured enviro
What were terriers developed for?
- Developed to FIND AND KILL SMALL RODENTS
- work with little direction from handler
- low-to-medium trainability
- very high reactivity
- show increased inter-dog aggression and strong predatory response
What were toy breeds developed for?
- Represent miniaturizations of other breeds. Many RETAIN BEHAVIORUS SIMILAR TO THEIR LARGER FOREFATHERS. In others, a more subordinate nature was selected along with very NEOTENIZED (juvenile characteristics retained into adult hood) features
- first “true” companion dogs
- strong predisposition to bonding to humans, puppy-like behaviours and high trainability
What were herding breeds developed for?
- Developed to MOVE LIVESTOCK
- highly trainable
- bond strongly to human caretakers
- usually highly reactive and have a strong chase instinct
Foraging and Feeding Behaviour
- Canidae are OPPORTUNISTIC SCAVENGERS (ingest a wide range of animal and vegetative matter)
- Many canids will hunt for prey and hoard surplus food
- Feeding behaviour of pet dogs very much under the control of humans
- Can develop intolerance to certain food components
- Some dogs may ingest feces
Dog vision
- Generally inferior to man but can see colour and static shapes although do not perceive detail well. Better at distinguishing btw shade of grey than humans.
- Very sensitive to moving objects
- Can see better at night and in dim light
- Dichromatic; see blue and yellow well
Panoramic field vision and binocular vision
Panoramic field vision is 250-270 (depends on skull shape), binocular vision varies greatly by breed (depends on how far apart eyes are set on the front of the head)
When is visual maturity attained?
At 4 months
- puppies may experience difficulty in identifying objects until then
What is a dog’s predominant sense?
Smell
- can discriminate between complex mixtures of odours
- has about 220 million scent receptors in nose
- can be readily trained to select objects associated with an individual and can follow trails of a specific person
Vomeronasal organ
Detects pheromones for the identification of sexual receptivity (heat).
- The anal sac secretes pheromones that help other dogs distinguish possible age, sex, and/or genetic differences when assessing others
- Other areas of the body secrete pheromones, but the anal sac is a big one
Hearing in dogs
- What is it useful for?
- Biological component for acute hearing
- A highly developed sense in dogs; can hear notes that humans cannot
- Being able to hear at high frequencies is useful for capturing small prey that emit high frequency sounds to communicate
- Mobility of the dog’s ear in combination with the ‘cupped shape’ explains part of the dog’s acute hearing
What are examples of dog vocalizations?
Grunts, growls, whines, yelps, coughs, barks
- barking only about 2% of wolf vocalizations
When are wolves and foxes generally active?
at night
When are dingos and african wild dogs active?
They are crepuscular = most active at dusk and dawn
- This is when temps are cooler and opportunities to hunt prey are greater
What are the biological rhythms of domestic dogs?
Domestic dog is DIURNAL, tending to sleep when its caregiver does
- dogs are POLYPHASIC sleepers (several bouts of sleep per night)
- average sleep episode ~1.5 hrs
- waking periods of about 40 min
- most dogs sleep several times per day (but depend on owner’s routine)
- sleep includes periods of quiet (non-REM) and REM sleep
- sleep disturbances can appear as dogs age
Group behaviour is adaptive, what does this mean?
- appears early in a puppy’s development
- ranks within litters may become established in tests of strength and competition during “play fighting”; begins as early as 5-6 wks
In previously unacquainted dogs, does “rank” need to be determined by fighting?
NO! Can be determined through posturing and vocalizations. Fighting is very every expensive.
Weight and sex are important factors in determining social status. How does this differ in male pairs vs female pairs?
In male pairs, weight is important
In female pairs, weight is not as decisive
T/F: Dogs often identify and show preference for their own breed and litter mates
True
When breeds are of similar size what can be a determinant for rank?
Breed temperament
Different postures and facial expresses can indicated changes in what?
Motivational state
What are 4 submission postures in dogs?
- crouching
- tail wagging
- rolling over on the back
- overall-looking small
What are 5 arousal postures in dogs?
- become aggressive
- ears pulled back
- tail put up
- begin to snarl
- show play-soliciting behaviour
What is the function of hierarchy in domestic dogs?
To provide stability to the group and reduce intra-group aggression.
When a submissive dog is approached by a high-ranking dog in a social group, what will it do?
Remain stationary and avoid eye contact in order to avoid a potential attack
What type of postures may be shown in dogs that are extremely fearful and feel threatened?
A combo of apparently dominant and submissive body postures
How do dogs communicate?
Through body postures, vocalizations, facial expressions and scent marking
What do patterns of communication facilitate?
Further social interactions and minimize chances of aggression
What is allelomimetic behaviour?
A group of animals doing the same behaviour at the same time
- common in dogs
*different than social facilitation where one starts and others join; allelomimetic is simply the observation that they are doing a behaviour at the same time
Scent marking. What is it? What is deposited? What does it indicate?
When a dog goes for a walk, it may urinate on objects
- along with the urine, scent from the anal glands is also deposited
- frequency of urine marking is related to status-seeking as more assertive animals demonstrate raised-leg urination more than subordinate individuals
What happens to urine marking in females during estrus?
Increases
- urine contains pheromones capable of attracting male dogs from great distances
Do fecal droppings in domestic dogs have a fxn in communication?
No evidence, unlike wolves were feces marks the periphery of a territory
When a dog scratches the ground, what cues does it leave?
a VISUAL cue and a SCENT cue from sweat glands in the toes and foot pads
A dog will sometimes roll in a foul smelling substance, why do wild dogs also do this?
By making themselves strong-smelling they indicate to other dogs they are high ranking
What is the role of tail wagging when dogs meet?
The role of tail wagging when dogs meet is not completely understood but may serve to DISTRIBUTE ODOURS for recognition or fxn as a VISUAL CUE signaling peaceful intentions.
Tail wagging is a ______ behaviour
Tail wagging is a context-specific behaviour which signals excitability or stimulation, such as:
- friendliness/confidence
- anxiousness/nervousness
- threat of aggression
How do male puppies as young as 5 wks show sexual behaviour?
- Sexual mounting with pelvic thrusting
- Considered a normal part of play behaviour and is necessary for the development of adult sexual behaviour
- Problem may arise if older puppies, stimulated by play, mount and clasp inappropriate objects
When is a dog sexually mature?
7-8 months
- domesticated animals reach these milestones quicker than wild counterparts; for wolves it is 22 months
T/F: individual males show great variation in intensity and degree of courtship behaviour
T
How often do females come into heat?
Females are diestrous = come into heat only 2x annually
- first heat btw 6-12 months
What are the 4 stages of the estrous cycle?
- Proestrus
- Estrus
- Metestrus
- Anestrus
Proestrus
- lasts 2 weeks
- characterized by bloody discharge, restless behaviour, and increasing attentiveness to males
- ATTENTIVE BUT UNRECEPTIVE
Estrus
aka heat
- Female is receptive to mounting
- 10-21 days
- length is depending on whether or not the female has been mated
- estrus occurs prior to ovulation so most females accept the approach of the male and will stand several days prior to ovulation
Metestrus
- 2 months
- may constitute the period of pregnancy
Pseudo- or false pregnancies are relatively common in dogs, what happens?
Signs of maternal behaviour such as producing milk and building nests
Anestrus
Period of reproductive inactivity, lasts 4-5 months
What regions will a male investigate if he finds a female in estrus?
head, body, ano-genital region
How does the female respond in estrus to a male investigating her?
- elevates her rump and lifts her tail then stands (lordosis stance) while male mounts
- male grips her thighs and copulation occurs with pelvic thrusting
- male may mount several times before intromission is achieved
- during copulation, the male turns and lifts one high leg over the female’s back so they stand tail to tail (the tie or lock)
What is the “tie” or “lock” during copulation?
When the male turns and lifts one hind leg over the female’s back so they stand tail to tail
- 5-60 minutes
- Ejaculation begins at about the same time as locking and continues until nearly the end of the lock
T/F: litters can have multiple paternities
True
- females may mate with more than one male
Just before estrus (during proestrus) what behaviours will the female exhbit?
More play behaviour toward the male but also may bark and growl and not allow the male to mate
How long is the gestation period?
63 days
Just before parturition what behaviours does the female exhibit?
restless, seeks seclusion, attempts to build a nest
What are the first signs of labour?
panting and vaginal discharge
When does whelping often take place? How long does it take?
At night (3-6 hrs)
- first puppy takes the longest (avg 45 mins btw births)
At birth what does the mother do?
Breaks the sac with her teeth and begins to lick the young. She may consume the waste and nursing begins.
- mother is usually silent unless DYSTOCIA occurs, males present may while
How are puppies guided to the teats?
By olfactory cues and maternal nudging
- start suckling within an hour of birth
- mother will clean her pups while they suckle
How does the mother stimulate elimination in her puppies?
Licks anogenital region
During the first few days after birth, when does the mother leave the nest?
only for feeding and defecation
What is the weaning process?
3-4 wks then are gradually weaned by the mother
- by 5 wks milk supply is beginning to decrease and she restricts her nursing to a few short daily periods
- mother regurgitates her food to puppies to wean them; similar to wolves
- most puppies fully weaned by 8 weeks
Dogs are altricial species, what does this mean?
- born in a relatively helpless state
- maternal care needed, newborn pups are unable to see or hear and motor capabilites are limited
Is there teat order or preference by puppies?
no
What happens if a puppy is removed from the litter at 6 wks or earlier?
It is deprived of important social interactions
- can lead to problem behaviours towards other dogs later in life
What are the 5 stages of development of behaviour?
- Prenatal period
- Neonatal period
- Transitional period
- Socialization period
- Juvenile period
Prenatal period
Gestation: covers from conception to parturition (63 days)
Neonatal period
- 0-14 days: relies heavily on mother for suckling, elimination, and comfort
- mostly feeding and sleeping
- eyes and ears closed and non-fxnl; rely on smell, taste, touch
- limited motor abilities and reflex driven
- whines, grunts, mews to alert or seek attention
Transitional period
- 14-21 days: constitutes period of RAPID NEUROLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL CHANGE
- eyes and ear canals open
- no longer relies on mother for elimination
- more advanced motor movements
- puppies interact, displaying fist signs of play fighting and tail wagging
Social period
*critical period in development
- 3-10 wks of age: relatively long period of development with onset of more adult patterns of behavior
- fully developed sensory and motor abilites
- more time way from mother, less time feeding and sleeping
- teeth begin to erupt at the start
- weaning complete 7-8 wks
- develops important social bonds w mother, littermates and ppl
When does play behaviour develop? How are intentions communicated? Why is play sequences important?
- Develops about 5-6 wks after birth
- Communicate intentions by crouching on fore-limbs and elevating the hind end (play bow)
- Sequence are important so young can learn to control the intensity of their bite and social limits
Juvenile period
- 10 wks - sexual maturity
- rapid growth, full height and wt by most breeds at 8 months
- adult teeth replace milk teeth at 5 months
- removed from mother at start of this period and continue to develop social relationship with humans and other animals
- general behaviour similar to socialization period, but more advanced and controlled
- puberty is gradual in males
- puberty is sudden in females, occurring at her first heat
Puppies btw the ages of 4-16 wks experience what?
A crucial development period
- exposure to many different ppl, places, animals, enviros
- enable them to more readily accept changes later in life
