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Gábor A, Pérez Fraga P, Gácsi M, Gerencsér L, Andics A. Domestication and exposure to human social stimuli are not sufficient to trigger attachment to humans: a companion pig-dog comparative study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14058. [PMID: 38977716 PMCID: PMC11231355 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63529-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Dogs exhibit human-analogue attachment to their owners, with similar function and mechanisms to that of infant-mother bond, but its origin is unclear. Comparative studies on socialised wolves and dogs emphasise genetic influence in dogs' preparedness for attachment to humans. We aimed to reveal if this genetic effect stems from general domestication or artificial selection that increased dogs' dependence on humans. We assessed and compared behavioural patterns of young companion pigs and dogs using a Strange Situation Test. Dogs but not pigs exhibited distinct behaviours towards their owner and a stranger along attachment-specific variables, so only dogs' relevant behaviours fulfilled attachment criteria. From the observed behaviours, three factors were formed: Attachment (to the owner), Anxiety (in a strange situation), and Acceptance (of a stranger). Results indicate (1) higher Attachment scores in dogs than pigs, (2) greater Acceptance scores in pigs, (3) positive correlation of Attachment and Anxiety in both, (4) similar time tendency of pigs' Attachment and Acceptance scores. These suggest that in pigs, domestication and early exposure to human social stimuli did not trigger attachment to humans. Thus, along with species predispositions, the unique dog-owner attachment can be facilitated by artificial selection that increased dogs' dependence on humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gábor
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
- Neuroethology of Communication Lab, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Paula Pérez Fraga
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Neuroethology of Communication Lab, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Gácsi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELKH-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Linda Gerencsér
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Neuroethology of Communication Lab, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Neuroethology of Communication Lab, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
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Di Lucrezia A, Scandurra A, Pinelli C, Musco N, D’Aniello B, Mastellone V, Zicarelli F, Pero ME, Lombardi P. A Comparative Study of Dogs and Goats with Limited Human Socialization in the Impossible Task Paradigm. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3027. [PMID: 37835633 PMCID: PMC10571704 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to explore how limited human socialization affects the socio-cognitive abilities and interactions with unfamiliar individuals of a selected group of domesticated dogs and goats. These animals were raised and kept under conditions characterized by limited human socialization, and their behavior was assessed using the "impossible task" paradigm. The study found that dogs, with a history of cooperative interactions and human companionship, exhibited more frequent social engagement with human experimenters in the experimental setting than goats, traditionally domesticated for utilitarian purposes. However, differences in interaction duration and latency were not significant, highlighting the complexity of these interactions. The results suggest that domestication history and behavioral ecology play significant roles in shaping animals' willingness to engage with humans. However, this study acknowledges limitations, such as the specific population studied, and calls for further research with larger and more diverse samples to generalize these findings. Understanding the interplay between domestication history, behavioral ecology, and human socialization could provide insights into the complex factors influencing animal-human interactions and cognitive behaviors, with implications for animal welfare and human-animal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Di Lucrezia
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (A.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (A.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Nadia Musco
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (V.M.); (M.E.P.); (P.L.)
| | - Biagio D’Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (A.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Vincenzo Mastellone
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (V.M.); (M.E.P.); (P.L.)
| | - Fabio Zicarelli
- Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Maria Elena Pero
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (V.M.); (M.E.P.); (P.L.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pietro Lombardi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (V.M.); (M.E.P.); (P.L.)
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Pérez Fraga P, Morvai B, Gerencsér L, Lehoczki F, Andics A. Out-of-reach rewards elicit human-oriented referential communicative behaviours in family dogs but not in family pigs. Sci Rep 2023; 13:811. [PMID: 36690662 PMCID: PMC9871027 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26503-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-oriented referential communication has been evidenced not only in domestic but also in some wild species, however, the importance of domestication-unrelated species' characteristics in the emergence of this capacity remains largely unexplored. One shared property of all species reported to exhibit referential communication is the efficient use of visual social signals. To assess the potential role of species-specific characteristics in the emergence of human-oriented referential communication, we compared similarly socialised companion animals from two domestic species: dogs, which rely heavily on conspecific visual social signals; and pigs, which do not. We used an out-of-reach reward paradigm with three conditions: both human and reward present, only human present, only reward present. Both species exhibited certain behaviours (e.g. orientation towards the human, orientation alternation between the human and the reward) more often in the human's presence. However, only dogs exhibited those behaviours more often in the simultaneous presence of the human and the reward. These results suggest similar readiness in dogs and pigs to attend to humans but also that pigs, unlike dogs, do not initiate referential communication with humans. The ability to referentially communicate with humans may not emerge in mammals, even if domesticated companion animals, that lack certain species characteristics, such as efficient intraspecific visual communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Pérez Fraga
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. S. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
- Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Boglárka Morvai
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. S. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Linda Gerencsér
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. S. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Lehoczki
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. S. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. S. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Pigs as Pets: Early Human Relations with the Sulawesi Warty Pig ( Sus celebensis). Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010048. [PMID: 36611658 PMCID: PMC9817959 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sulawesi warty pig (S. celebensis) is a wild and still-extant suid that is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It has long been theorised that S. celebensis was domesticated and/or deliberately introduced to other islands in Indonesia prior to the advent of the Neolithic farming transition in the region. Thus far, however, there has been no empirical support for this idea, nor have scientists critiqued the argument that S. celebensis was a pre-Neolithic domesticate in detail. Here, it is proposed that early foragers could have formed a relationship with S. celebensis that was similar in essence to the close association between Late Pleistocene foragers in Eurasia and the wild wolf ancestors of domestic dogs. That is, a longstanding practice of hunter-gatherers intensively socialising wild-caught S. celebensis piglets for adoption into human society as companion animals ('pets') may have altered the predator-prey dynamic, brought aspects of wild pig behaviour and reproduction under indirect human selection and control, and caused changes that differentiated human-associated pigs from their solely wild-living counterparts.
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Uccheddu S, Miklósi Á, Gintner S, Gácsi M. Comparing Pears to Apples: Unlike Dogs, Cats Need Habituation before Lab Tests. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12213046. [PMID: 36359170 PMCID: PMC9657355 DOI: 10.3390/ani12213046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Comparative studies can help us better understand our family pets’ social and cognitive behaviours and gain more insights in the evolution of some human abilities. However, the comparison of the behaviours of cats and dogs in a standard laboratory environment is not without challenges. Though recently they play a similar role in modern Western societies as pets, both their evolutionary history and individual experiences are different. We tested the spontaneous behaviour of companion cats and dogs in the same novel laboratory environment, and if needed, we tried to habituate them in the presence of their owners and an unfamiliar experimenter. To pass the habituation test, subjects were expected to play with the experimenter or accept food from them. All dogs passed the test on the first occasion, while almost 60% of the cats needed habituation and some could not reach the criteria even after three habituation sessions. More experienced cats (which had the opportunity to meet strangers and explore unfamiliar places) were not more successful, in fact, younger cats passed more easily. We found marked differences between dogs and cats in all behavioural variables; compared to dogs, cats spent more time crouching and close to their box, while less time exploring or close to the owner. Our findings are important not only regarding the test methods of cats and the interpretation of their data collected in the laboratory so far but, in a more general sense, on developing future comparative experiments. Abstract Research on the socio-cognitive skills of different species often benefit from comparative experiments, however, the ecology of the species and development of the individuals may differently determine how they react to the same test situation. In this study, our aims were twofold: to observe and compare the spontaneous behaviour of companion cats and dogs in the same novel environment, and to habituate them (if needed) to the novel environment in the presence of their owners and an unfamiliar experimenter. The behaviour of 62 family cats, 31 experienced (which had the opportunity to meet strangers and explore unfamiliar places) and 31 inexperienced cats, and 27 family dogs was compared in an unfamiliar room. The subjects’ behaviour was coded during the first five minutes in the presence of two passive persons, their owners, and an unfamiliar experimenter. Then, based on a set of rules, first the owner, and then the experimenter tried to initiate interactions with the subjects and the subjects’ willingness to interact was evaluated. To pass the habituation test, subjects were expected to play with the experimenter or accept food from them. All dogs passed the test on the first occasion, while almost 60% of the cats failed. The cats’ experience did not play a significant role, in fact, younger cats passed more easily. We found marked differences between dogs and cats in all behavioural variables; compared to dogs, cats spent more time crouching and close to their box, while less time exploring or close to the owner. We did not find a difference in the cats’ behaviour based on their experience. Our results support the hypothesis that unlike dogs, cats need extensive habituation in a novel environment. This could partially be explained by the difference in the ecology and/or domestication process of the species, although developmental effects cannot be excluded. Our findings have fundamental consequences not only for the considerations of the testability of cats and on the interpretation of their data collected in the laboratory, but in a more general sense on developing comparative experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Uccheddu
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Miklósi
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sarolt Gintner
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Gácsi
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence:
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Hirschi A, Mazzini A, Riemer S. Disentangling help-seeking and giving up: differential human-directed gazing by dogs in a modified unsolvable task paradigm. Anim Cogn 2022; 25:821-836. [PMID: 35020108 PMCID: PMC8753593 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01595-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are renowned for 'looking back' at humans when confronted with a problem, but it has been questioned whether this implies help-seeking or giving up. We tested 56 pet dogs from two breed groups (herding dogs and terriers) in a modified unsolvable task paradigm. One reward type (food or toy) was enclosed in a box, while the respective other reward was accessible. With both reward types, human-directed gazing in relation to the box was significantly positively correlated with interaction with the box, as long as an alternative was available. This suggests that both behaviours served to attain the unavailable reward and reflected individual motivation for the inaccessible vs the accessible reward. Furthermore, we varied whether the owner or the experimenter was responsible for handling the rewards. In the owner-responsible group, dogs rarely gazed at the experimenter. In the experimenter-responsible group, dogs preferentially directed box-related gazing (prior to or after looking at or interacting with the box) at the owner. Still, they gazed at the experimenter significantly longer than the owner-responsible group. Conversely, toy-related gazing was directed significantly more at the experimenter. Thus, dogs adjust their gazing behaviour according to the people's responsibility and their current goal (help-seeking vs play). Gaze duration did not differ between herding dogs and terriers. We conclude that dogs use gazing at humans' faces as a social problem-solving strategy, but not all gazing can be classified as such. Dogs' human-directed gazing is influenced by the social relationships with the persons, situational associations, and context (unsolvable problem vs play).
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Hirschi
- Companion Animal Behaviour Group, Division of Animal Welfare, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alja Mazzini
- Companion Animal Behaviour Group, Division of Animal Welfare, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Riemer
- Companion Animal Behaviour Group, Division of Animal Welfare, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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Breed group differences in the unsolvable problem task: herding dogs prefer their owner, while solitary hunting dogs seek stranger proximity. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:597-603. [PMID: 34792653 PMCID: PMC9107394 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01582-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The communicating skills of dogs are well documented and especially their contact-seeking behaviours towards humans. The aim of this study was to use the unsolvable problem paradigm to investigate differences between breed groups in their contact-seeking behaviours towards their owner and a stranger. Twenty-four dogs of ancient breeds, 58 herding dogs, and 17 solitary hunting dogs were included in the study, and their behaviour when presented with an unsolvable problem task (UPT) was recorded for 3 min. All breed groups interacted with the test apparatus the same amount of time, but the herding dogs showed a longer gaze duration towards their owner compared to the other groups and they also preferred to interact with their owner instead of a stranger. Interestingly, the solitary hunting dogs were more in stranger proximity than the other groups, and they also showed a preference to make contact with a stranger instead of their owner. Hence, we found differences in contact-seeking behaviours, reflecting the dog–human relationship, between breed groups that might not only be related to their genetic similarity to wolves, but also due to the specific breeding history of the dogs.
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Jardat P, Lansade L. Cognition and the human-animal relationship: a review of the sociocognitive skills of domestic mammals toward humans. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:369-384. [PMID: 34476652 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01557-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the past 20 years, research focusing on interspecific sociocognitive abilities of animals toward humans has been growing, allowing a better understanding of the interactions between humans and animals. This review focuses on five sociocognitive abilities of domestic mammals in relation to humans as follows: discriminating and recognizing individual humans; perceiving human emotions; interpreting our attentional states and goals; using referential communication (perceiving human signals or sending signals to humans); and engaging in social learning with humans (e.g., local enhancement, demonstration and social referencing). We focused on different species of domestic mammals for which literature on the subject is available, namely, cats, cattle, dogs, ferrets, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep. The results show that some species have remarkable abilities to recognize us or to detect and interpret the emotions or signals sent by humans. For example, sheep and horses can recognize the face of their keeper in photographs, dogs can react to our smells of fear, and pigs can follow our pointing gestures. Nevertheless, the studies are unequally distributed across species: there are many studies in animals that live closely with humans, such as dogs, but little is known about livestock animals, such as cattle and pigs. However, on the basis of existing data, no obvious links have emerged between the cognitive abilities of animals toward humans and their ecological characteristics or the history and reasons for their domestication. This review encourages continuing and expanding this type of research to more abilities and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plotine Jardat
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France.,Department of Biology, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Léa Lansade
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
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Wallner Werneck Mendes J, Resende B, Savalli C. Effect of different experiences with humans in dogs' visual communication. Behav Processes 2021; 192:104487. [PMID: 34437981 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are particularly skillful in communicating with humans, and growing evidence points towards the importance of both species intertwined evolutionary history and intense daily partnership. Gaze alternation is a communicative behavior used by dogs from a very young age and is affected by factors such as aging and experience. We analyzed how different degrees of daily human interaction affect dogs' gazing behavior in the unsolvable task, where a desired food becomes inaccessible. Three groups with different degrees of daily exposure to humans were compared: pet dogs that live inside the house, pet dogs that live outside the house, and shelter dogs. We found no difference in latency to the first gaze, but pet dogs did show a higher proportion of individuals engaging in gaze alternation, a higher number of gaze alternations, and a longer duration of gaze than shelter dogs. Additionally, dogs living inside the house gazed more at the experimenter than dogs living outside. Overall, our results indicate a strong influence of experience over the development and use of these communicative behaviors in dogs, with groups that are closer to people in their daily lives being more willing to communicate with humans as a strategy to obtain a desired goal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Briseida Resende
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carine Savalli
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Public Policies and Collective Health, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
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A review of the unsolvable task in dog communication and cognition: comparing different methodologies. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:907-922. [PMID: 33754284 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01501-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Communication between dogs and humans is a topic of growing interest, and the "unsolvable task" is a common method used to measure human-directed communication. In this task, dogs learn how to solve a problem to obtain a reward. After a fixed number of trials, the reward becomes impossible to access, arguably leading to communicative attempts from the dog. Although useful to observe dogs' communicative behaviors in a fairly naturalistic situation, the methodology varies among studies regarding apparatus, number of trials, and other factors. The proxies used, for instance, gaze duration or frequency of gaze alternation, also vary, and there are discrepancies and a debate regarding what the task actually measures. Therefore, in this study, we reviewed the usage of the unsolvable task in canids of the genus Canis, searching Web of Science and Scopus for the terms "dog*", "Canis", "dingo*", "wolf" or "wolves" in the title and "unsolvable task" or "impossible task" in the topic. We included thirty-five studies in this review and discussed their different methodologies and proxies, such as different apparatuses, number of solvable trials, and different interpretations of "looking back", pointing out how they can affect results and hinder comparisons. Lastly, we used current data to propose strategies to homogenize the use of this important paradigm, with an ethogram of possible behaviors and their interpretation and a predefined set of methodological aspects for future research.
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Pérez Fraga P, Gerencsér L, Andics A. Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20883. [PMID: 33257733 PMCID: PMC7705753 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77643-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Family dogs (Canis familiaris) seek human contact from an early age, can discriminate and prefer their caregivers over other humans. To investigate if being kept as a family animal is sufficient to induce similar early human proximity-seeking in another domestic mammal, here we directly compared such behaviours in dogs and similarly raised domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). We used a preference test to measure proximity-seeking behaviours of 4-month-old family pigs and dogs in the presence of their caregiver and either a stranger or a familiar object, in a novel environment. We found that both pigs and dogs preferred their caregivers over the familiar object but not over the stranger. However, when the caregiver and the stranger were present, only dogs showed an overall preference for human proximity, and pigs spent more time away from both humans. These results suggest that both dogs and pigs seek the proximity of their caregiver, but there is a difference in how each species generalizes their experience to other humans. Species-specific predispositions, including that dogs have a longer socialization period and that humans are more salient as a social stimulus for them, may be important for the early development of an overall preference for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Pérez Fraga
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. s. 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Linda Gerencsér
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. s. 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Pázmány P. s. 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
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