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Pinelli C, Scandurra A, Giacoma C, Di Lucrezia A, D'Aniello B. In "Tone" with dogs: exploring canine musicality. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:38. [PMID: 38750339 PMCID: PMC11096221 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01875-5] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the musical perception skills of dogs through playback experiments. Dogs were trained to distinguish between two different target locations based on a sequence of four ascending or descending notes. A total of 16 dogs of different breeds, age, and sex, but all of them with at least basic training, were recruited for the study. Dogs received training from their respective owners in a suitable environment within their familiar home settings. The training sequence consisted of notes [Do-Mi-Sol#-Do (C7-E7-G7#-C8; Hz frequency: 2093, 2639, 3322, 4186)] digitally generated as pure sinusoidal tones. The training protocol comprised 3 sequential training levels, with each level consisting of 4 sessions with a minimum of 10 trials per session. In the test phase, the sequence was transposed to evaluate whether dogs used relative pitch when identifying the sequences. A correct response by the dog was recorded as 1, while an incorrect response, occurring when the dog chose the opposite zone of the bowl, was marked as 0. Statistical analyses were performed using a binomial test. Among 16 dogs, only two consistently performed above the chance level, demonstrating the ability to recognize relative pitch, even with transposed sequences. This study suggests that dogs may have the ability to attend to relative pitch, a critical aspect of human musicality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, 81100, Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80126, Italy
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Torino, Torino, 10123, Italy
| | - Alfredo Di Lucrezia
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80126, Italy
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80126, Italy.
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2
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McCartney JM, Leavens DA. The Role of Life History and Familiarity in Performance of Working and Non-Working Dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris) in a Point-Following Task. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:573. [PMID: 38396541 PMCID: PMC10885941 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Domestic dogs are very successful at following human communicative gestures in paradigms such as the object-choice task. Pet dogs also prefer responding to cues given by a familiar cue-giver and this had not been found in working dogs. Therefore, we tested three groups of dogs in the object-choice task (n = 54): the groups were "Actively working" dogs from working dog breeds, pet dogs from "Non-working breeds" and pet dogs from "Working breeds". We found that "Actively working" and "Working breeds" dog groups outperformed "Non-working breeds" in following a point in the object-choice task. We also found that both "Actively working" and "Working breeds" preferred a familiar cue-giver over an unfamiliar one, in contrast to previous findings. Therefore, we conclude that dogs' abilities to perform well in the object-choice task is influenced by the selective history of the breed, and this is then increased by life experience and training.
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Naughton V, Grzelak T, Naughton PJ. Association Between Household Location (Urban versus Rural) and Fundamental Care Provided to Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) in Northern Ireland. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1446:217-236. [PMID: 38625531 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-54192-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to generate information regarding living conditions (e.g. indoors and outdoors, living space available), fundamental care (e.g. feeding and exercise) and owners' perceptions of dog's preferences (e.g. living conditions) in the urban and rural areas of Northern Ireland via a cross-sectional survey questionnaire. The responses were collected from May to August 2022, at 24 locations across Northern Ireland, including 15 agricultural shows and livestock markets and nine large supermarkets (single supermarket chain) located in an area of the show or market grounds. In all, 548 questionnaires were collected and after exclusion of questionnaires with missing or incomprehensible responses, 507 questionnaires were included in the final database. Out of 507 questionnaires, 264 respondents resided in a city while 243 respondents resided on farms. The majority of respondents from the city locations perceived their dogs as pets, while those living on farms regarded their dogs as working animals. The populations of dogs in the city locations and on the farms in this study were similar regarding the age range and numbers of the animals, but more female dogs were spayed in the city locations than on the farms. Most respondents in this study, regardless of their household location, declared that they did not monitor their animal's body weight or body condition. When feeding their dogs, the respondents from the city locations were predominantly following veterinary advice or instructions on food labels. On the other hand, the respondents from farm locations mostly reported that they fed their dogs based on 'a visual inspection of dog condition'; this type of feeding was associated with a certain type of household occupancy (more frequent in single and adults only households) and respondents' employment status (more frequent by retired and those managing the home). The living conditions of dogs in city and farm locations in this study were different, namely dogs in the city were kept predominantly indoors with access to outdoors while dogs from farm locations were kept predominantly outdoors. The dogs were reported to be walked daily for a shorter time (up to 1 h/day) in the city locations and longer on the farm locations (1-2 h/day). Regardless of household location (city versus farm) respondents believed that exercise needs depend on animal age, body condition and medical condition, that dogs need to be kept active by owners to keep them fit, that dogs cannot self-regulate the amount of food they eat daily, and finally that walking with a dog a few times a day is difficult due to other commitments. On the other hand, the respondents from farm locations more often believe that dogs can get all the exercise they need by themselves if kept outdoors and they are happier with living outdoors, while the respondents from city locations believed that dogs are happier with living indoors. In conclusion, the results of this study have shown a number of differences in basic care and perception of dogs kept in city locations and on farm locations. Further studies are required to understand the provision of health care and fulfilments of all welfare needs of the dogs kept on farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta Naughton
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
| | - Teresa Grzelak
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Patrick J Naughton
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
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Scandurra A, Di Lucrezia A, D’Aniello B, Pinelli C. Home Sweet Home: The Impact of Lifestyle on a Cat's Approach to Impossible Tasks in the Home Environment. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2679. [PMID: 37627470 PMCID: PMC10451177 DOI: 10.3390/ani13162679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cat welfare is a topic of growing interest in the scientific literature. Although previous studies have focused on the effects of living style (i.e., indoor/outdoor) on cat welfare, there has been a noticeable dearth of analysis regarding the impact of lifestyle on cats' inclination and mode of communication with humans. Our research aimed to analyze the possible effect of lifestyle (e.g., living indoors only or indoor/outdoor) on cat-human communication. The cats were tested using the impossible task paradigm test, which consists of some solvable trials in which the subject learns to obtain a reward from an apparatus, followed by an impossible trial through blocking the apparatus. This procedure triggers a violation of expectations and is considered a useful tool for assessing both the decision-making process and the tendency to engage in social behaviors towards humans. A specific ethogram was followed to record the behavioral responses of the cats during the unsolvable trial. Our results show the effects of lifestyle and age on domestic cats, providing valuable insights into the factors that influence their social behaviors. Cats that can roam freely outdoors spent less time interacting with the apparatus compared to indoor-only cats. Additionally, roaming cats showed stress behaviors sooner following the expectancy of violation compared to indoor cats. The lifestyle of cats can influence their problem-solving approach while not affecting their willingness to interact with humans or their overall welfare. Future studies on this topic can be useful for improving the welfare of domestic cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (B.D.)
| | - Alfredo Di Lucrezia
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (B.D.)
| | - Biagio D’Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.D.L.); (B.D.)
| | - Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
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de Mouzon C, Leboucher G. Multimodal Communication in the Human-Cat Relationship: A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091528. [PMID: 37174564 PMCID: PMC10177025 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091528] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Across all species, communication implies that an emitter sends signals to a receiver, through one or more channels. Cats can integrate visual and auditory signals sent by humans and modulate their behaviour according to the valence of the emotion perceived. However, the specific patterns and channels governing cat-to-human communication are poorly understood. This study addresses whether, in an extraspecific interaction, cats are sensitive to the communication channel used by their human interlocutor. We examined three types of interactions-vocal, visual, and bimodal-by coding video clips of 12 cats living in cat cafés. In a fourth (control) condition, the human interlocutor refrained from emitting any communication signal. We found that the modality of communication had a significant effect on the latency in the time taken for cats to approach the human experimenter. Cats interacted significantly faster to visual and bimodal communication compared to the "no communication" pattern, as well as to vocal communication. In addition, communication modality had a significant effect on tail-wagging behaviour. Cats displayed significantly more tail wagging when the experimenter engaged in no communication (control condition) compared to visual and bimodal communication modes, indicating that they were less comfortable in this control condition. Cats also displayed more tail wagging in response to vocal communication compared to the bimodal communication. Overall, our data suggest that cats display a marked preference for both visual and bimodal cues addressed by non-familiar humans compared to vocal cues only. Results arising from the present study may serve as a basis for practical recommendations to navigate the codes of human-cat interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte de Mouzon
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, Université Paris Nanterre, 92000 Nanterre, France
- EthoCat-Cat Behaviour Research and Consulting Institute, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Gérard Leboucher
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, Université Paris Nanterre, 92000 Nanterre, France
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Liehrmann O, Cosnard C, Riihonen V, Viitanen A, Alander E, Jardat P, Koski SE, Lummaa V, Lansade L. What drives horse success at following human-given cues? An investigation of handler familiarity and living conditions. Anim Cogn 2023:10.1007/s10071-023-01775-0. [PMID: 37072511 PMCID: PMC10113126 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01775-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Cues such as the human pointing gesture, gaze or proximity to an object are widely used in behavioural studies to evaluate animals' abilities to follow human-given cues. Many domestic mammals, such as horses, can follow human cues; however, factors influencing their responses are still unclear. We assessed the performance of 57 horses at a two-way choice task testing their ability to follow cues of either a familiar (N = 28) or an unfamiliar informant (N = 29). We investigated the effects of the length of the relationship between the horse and a familiar person (main caregiver), their social environment (living alone, in dyads, or in groups) and their physical environment (living in stalls/paddocks, alternating between paddocks and pastures, or living full time in pastures). We also controlled for the effects of horses' age and sex. Our results showed that horses' success rate at the task was not affected by the familiarity of the informant and did not improve with the relationship length with the familiar informant but did increase with the age of the horses. Horses living in groups had better success than the ones kept either in dyads or alone. Finally, horses housed in small paddocks had lower success than those living on pasture. These results indicate that with age, horses get better at following human-given indications regardless of who the human informant is and that an appropriate living and social environment could contribute to the development of socio-cognitive skills towards humans. Therefore, such aspects should be considered in studies evaluating animal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Liehrmann
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland.
| | - Camille Cosnard
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Veera Riihonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Alisa Viitanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Emmi Alander
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Plotine Jardat
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Sonja E Koski
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Natura Building, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Léa Lansade
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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D'Aniello B, Pinelli C, Scandurra A, Di Lucrezia A, Aria M, Semin GR. When are puppies receptive to emotion-induced human chemosignals? The cases of fear and happiness. Anim Cogn 2023:10.1007/s10071-023-01771-4. [PMID: 37010698 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01771-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
We report an observational, double-blind, experimental study that examines the effects of human emotional odors on puppies between 3 and 6 months and adult dogs (one year and upwards). Both groups were exposed to control, human fear, and happiness odors in a between subjects' design. The duration of all behaviors directed to the apparatus, the door, the owner, a stranger, and stress behaviors was recorded. A discriminant analysis showed that the fear odor activates consistent behavior patterns for both puppies and adult dogs. However, no behavioral differences between the control and happiness odor conditions were found in the case of puppies. In contrast, adult dogs reveal distinctive patterns for all three odor conditions. We argue that responses to human fear chemosignals systematically influence the behaviors displayed by puppies and adult dogs, which could be genetically prefigured. In contrast, the effects of happiness odors constitute cues that require learning during early socialization processes, which yield consistent patterns only in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Di Lucrezia
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Aria
- Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Gün R Semin
- William James Center for Research, ISPA-Instituto Universitario, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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Dorey N, Anderson MA, Mims D, Peruyero P. The Effects of Cue Modality on Reliability and Generalization of Training Outcomes with Domestic Dog. J Vet Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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9
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Chu PC, Wierucka K, Murphy D, Tilley HB, Mumby HS. Human interventions in a behavioural experiment for Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:393-404. [PMID: 35987800 PMCID: PMC9392510 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01668-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Experiments are widely used to investigate the behaviour and cognition of animals. While the automation of experiments to avoid potential experimenter bias is sometimes possible, not all experiments can be conducted without human presence. This is particularly true for large animals in captivity, which are often managed by professional handlers. For the safety of the animals and experimenters, a handler must be present during behavioural studies with certain species. It is not always clear to what extent cues provided by handlers affect the animals, and therefore the experimental results. In this study, we investigate handler interventions during the training process for a behavioural experiment with Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Nepal. We show that elephant handlers (mahouts) intervened to guide elephants in performing the learning task using vocal and behavioural cues, despite experimenters requesting minimal intervention. We found that although the frequency of mahout interventions did not decrease as the training progressed, the nature of their interventions changed. We also found more non-verbal than verbal cues across the training. Our results suggest that guidance from handlers may be common in behavioural studies, and continued consideration should be put into experimental design to reduce or account for cues that animals may receive from humans. This study also emphasises the need to take into account the presence of humans in interpreting the results of animal behavioural experiments, which not only presents challenges to behavioural research, but also represents opportunities for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pui Ching Chu
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Kaja Wierucka
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Derek Murphy
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hannah Bethany Tilley
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hannah Sue Mumby
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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D’Aniello B, Scandurra A, Pinelli C, Marinelli L, Mongillo P. Is this love? Sex differences in dog-owner attachment behavior suggest similarities with adult human bonds. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:137-148. [PMID: 34355289 PMCID: PMC8904329 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01545-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the behavioral responses of Labrador Retriever dogs in the Strange Situation Test were explored. Behaviors expressed by dogs during seven 3-min episodes were analyzed through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The scores of factors obtained were analyzed with a Generalized Linear Mixed Model to reveal the effects of the dog's sex and age and the owner's sex. In Episode 1 (dog and owner) and 5 (dog alone), the PCA identified three and two factors, respectively, which overall explained 68.7% and 59.8% of the variance, with no effect of sex. In Episodes 2 (dog, owner, and stranger), 3 and 6 (dog and stranger), and 4 and 7 (dog and owner), the PCA identified four factors, which overall explained 51.0% of the variance. Effects of sex were found on: Factor 1 (distress), with lower scores obtained by females in Episode 2 and higher in Episode 3; Factor 2 (sociability), which was overall higher in females; Factor 3 (separation-distress), with females, but not males, obtaining higher scores when left with the stranger than when with the owner. Therefore, females were overall more social but seemed more affected than males by the owner's absence. Parallels can be traced between our results and sex differences found in adult human romantic attachment, suggesting that the dog-owner bond has characteristics that are not found in the infant-mother relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biagio D’Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
| | - Lieta Marinelli
- Laboratory of Applied Ethology, Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD Italy
| | - Paolo Mongillo
- Laboratory of Applied Ethology, Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD Italy
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Galambos Á, Gergely A, Kovács AB, Kiss O, Topál J. Affect matters: Positive and negative social stimulation influences dogs’ behaviour in a subsequent situation involving an out-of-reach object. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Abstract
Interspecific communication between dogs and humans enables dogs to occupy significant roles in human society, both in companion and working roles. Dogs excel at using human communicative signals in problem-solving tasks, and solicit human contact when unable to solve a problem. Dogs' sociocognitive behavior likely results from a selection for attention to humans during domestication, but is highly susceptible to environmental factors. Training for particular tasks appears to enhance dog-human communication, but effects may depend on the nature of the relationship determined by their role. Our aim was to examine two types of social cognition (responsiveness to human gestures, and human-directed communicative behavior in an unsolvable task) in pet dogs (n = 29) and detection dogs (n = 35). The groups did not differ in their ability to follow human signals, but pets were less responsive to signals given by a stranger than by their owner. Pets also exhibited more human-directed gazing in the unsolvable task, showing a bias for gazing at their owner compared with the stranger, whereas detection dogs showed greater persistence in attempting to solve the task compared with pets. Thus, different aspects of dogs' sociocognitive behavior may differentially vary as a function of selection or training for particular roles.
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You talkin' to me? An assessment of commands as play signals during dog-human play. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:329-339. [PMID: 33469730 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01469-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
During play with a dog, humans commonly command the dog to engage in particular activities. How effective are commands during play, and do they serve as play signals? To answer this question, I examined commands issued to dogs by 21 familiar and 17 unfamiliar persons who played with a dog, and the dog's responses. Specifically, I examined dogs' actions following commands containing the words (in decreasing order of frequency) come/come here, go get/get/go, give/gimme, bring, look, and drop, to see if they satisfied the commands and whether play followed the commands. Dogs more often ignored than satisfied most commands during play interactions, and more often played than not following commands. However, dogs playing after commands as often satisfied as ignored a command, suggesting that commands do not serve as play signals. Play activity dogs were engaged in following commands, most commonly object-keepaway and chase the object, resulted in actions (e.g., getting closer or farther away from the play partner) that could either satisfy or not satisfy a given command. Commands were likely a response to dogs' activities, spoken to direct a dog to engage in a particular activity or exhort the dog to continue engaging in an activity that supported the human's play activities, rather than a play signal.
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Sex differences in the behavioral responses of dogs exposed to human chemosignals of fear and happiness. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:299-309. [PMID: 33459909 PMCID: PMC8035118 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01473-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
This research focuses on sex differences in the behavioral patterns of dogs when they are exposed to human chemosignals (sweat) produced in happy and fear contexts. No age, breed or apparatus-directed behavior differences were found. However, when exposed to fear chemosignals, dogs’ behavior towards their owners, and their stress signals lasted longer when compared to being exposed to happiness as well as control chemosignals. In the happy odor condition, females, in contrast to males, displayed a significantly higher interest to the stranger compared to their owner. In the fear condition, dogs spent more time with their owner compared to the stranger. Behaviors directed towards the door, indicative of exit interest, had a longer duration in the fear condition than the other two conditions. Female dogs revealed a significantly longer door-directed behavior in the fear condition compared to the control condition. Overall the data shows that the effect of exposure to human emotional chemosignals is not sex dependent for behaviors related to the apparatus, the owner or the stress behaviors; however, in the happiness condition, females showed a stronger tendency to interact with the stranger.
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The scholar's best friend: research trends in dog cognitive and behavioral studies. Anim Cogn 2020; 24:541-553. [PMID: 33219880 PMCID: PMC8128826 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01448-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, cognitive and behavioral knowledge in dogs seems to have developed considerably, as deduced from the published peer-reviewed articles. However, to date, the worldwide trend of scientific research on dog cognition and behavior has never been explored using a bibliometric approach, while the evaluation of scientific research has increasingly become important in recent years. In this review, we compared the publication trend of the articles in the last 34 years on dogs’ cognitive and behavioral science with those in the general category “Behavioral Science”. We found that, after 2005, there has been a sharp increase in scientific publications on dogs. Therefore, the year 2005 has been used as “starting point” to perform an in-depth bibliometric analysis of the scientific activity in dog cognitive and behavioral studies. The period between 2006 and 2018 is taken as the study period, and a backward analysis was also carried out. The data analysis was performed using “bibliometrix”, a new R-tool used for comprehensive science mapping analysis. We analyzed all information related to sources, countries, affiliations, co-occurrence network, thematic maps, collaboration network, and world map. The results scientifically support the common perception that dogs are attracting the interest of scholars much more now than before and more than the general trend in cognitive and behavioral studies. Both, the changes in research themes and new research themes, contributed to the increase in the scientific production on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of dogs. Our investigation may benefit the researchers interested in the field of cognitive and behavioral science in dogs, thus favoring future research work and promoting interdisciplinary collaborations.
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Multimodal signaling in the visuo-acoustic mismatch paradigm: similarities between dogs and children in the communicative approach. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:833-841. [PMID: 32451634 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01398-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we have analyzed the studies on the "mismatch paradigm" or "contrasting paradigm", in which the word indicates an intent that is opposite to the gesture in dogs and children. The studies on children highlighted the importance of the type of gestural messages that, when delivered in a non-ostensive manner, assume less value than the verbal indication; whereas, when more emphasis is given to the gestures, it produces opposite results. Word-trained dogs appear to rely more on words, but in the absence of such specific training, dogs rely more on gestures either in transitive or intransitive actions. Moreover, gestural communication appears easier to generalize, since dogs respond equally well to the gestural messages of familiar persons and strangers, whereas their performance lowers when a stranger provides a vocal message. Visual signals trigger faster responses than auditory signals, whereas verbal indications can at most equal the gestural latencies, but never overcome them. Female dogs appeared to be more proficient in the interpretation of gestural commands, while males performed better in the case of verbal commands. Based on a PRISMA analyses from the Web of Science database, three papers on children and four on dogs were retrieved. Our analyses revealed that gestures are more reliable reference points than words for dogs and children. Future studies should focus on choices related to objects of different values for the subjects. Moreover, the choices of dogs should be compared using known and unknown objects, which might help clarify how familiarity with the objects could differently influence their responses.
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Calvi E, Quassolo U, Massaia M, Scandurra A, D'Aniello B, D'Amelio P. The scent of emotions: A systematic review of human intra- and interspecific chemical communication of emotions. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01585. [PMID: 32212329 PMCID: PMC7218249 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The sense of olfaction has been considered of minor importance in human communication. In recent years, evidence has emerged that humans might be influenced by unconscious messages sent through chemosignals in body odors. Data concerning the ability of humans to recognize fear, maybe related to the evolutionary role of these emotions in the fight-or-flight reactions, are well known. METHODS To further understand the role of emotional chemosignals in mediating communication in humans and its influence on animal behaviors, we conducted a systematic literature review. RESULTS Chemosignals derived from axillary odors collected under a variety of emotional stimuli and sad tears in humans affect receivers' social interactions, danger detection and risk-taking behavior, social aspects of eating, and performance under stressing conditions. In addition, beyond the fight-or-flight response, even the body odors of happiness can be perceived by others. Furthermore, human chemosignals can influence behaviors and stressful responses in animals, particularly dogs and horses, which may partially explain their special relationship with humans. CONCLUSION Our review highlights the importance of chemosignaling in human intra- and interspecific interactions and suggests the need for further investigations, both in physiological conditions and in patients with psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Calvi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Quassolo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Patrizia D'Amelio
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Rehabilitation, CHUV, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Mastellone V, Scandurra A, D’Aniello B, Nawroth C, Saggese F, Silvestre P, Lombardi P. Long-Term Socialization with Humans Affects Human-Directed Behavior in Goats. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E578. [PMID: 32235459 PMCID: PMC7222417 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout their evolutionary history, humans have tried to domesticate a variety of wild terrestrial mammals, resulting in a limited number that has been successfully domesticated. Among these domesticated species, domestic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) are a useful model species to study the effects of ontogenesis on the socio-cognitive abilities of domestic non-companion animals in their interactions with humans. To this end, the behavioral responses of two groups of goats with a different background of human socialization (high and low socialization) were compared in the impossible task test, an experimental paradigm aimed to study socio-cognitive skills and the tendency to interact with humans. Our results show that, when the task became impossible to solve, goats with a higher level of socialization interacted with the experimenter for a greater amount of time than subjects in the low socialization group, whereas the latter group exhibited increased door directed behavior. Overall, highly socialized goats made more social contact with humans compared to the other group in the impossible task paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Mastellone
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy; (V.M.); (P.L.)
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Biagio D’Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Christian Nawroth
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany;
| | - Fiorella Saggese
- Lo Zoo di Napoli, Viale Kennedy 76, 80129 Naples, Italy; (F.S.); (P.S.)
| | | | - Pietro Lombardi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy; (V.M.); (P.L.)
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Inter- and Intra-Species Communication of Emotion: Chemosignals as the Neglected Medium. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9110887. [PMID: 31683710 PMCID: PMC6912305 DOI: 10.3390/ani9110887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human body odors contain chemosignals that make species-specific communication possible. Such communication is without communicative intent and is generally below the threshold of consciousness. Human recipients of these chemosignals produced during emotional conditions display a simulacrum of the emotional state under which the chemosignal was produced. The investigation of an inter-species transfer of emotions via chemosignals was initiated by considerations of the historically anchored interdependence between humans and domesticated species, such as dogs and horses. Indeed, experiments with dogs have demonstrated that human body odors produced under emotional conditions of happiness and fear led dogs to manifest corresponding emotions to those experienced by humans. Preliminary data from horses also show that human body odors collected under fear and happiness conditions activate the autonomic nervous system of horses differentially. These studies indicate the possibility of a road to open our understanding of inter-species emotional communication via chemosignals.
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Alterisio A, Scandurra A, Eatherington CJ, Marinelli L, D’Aniello B, Mongillo P. You can't see, when I do: A study on social attention in guide dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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21
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Dezecache G, Bourgeois A, Bazin C, Schlenker P, Chemla E, Maille A. Orangutans' Comprehension of Zoo Keepers' Communicative Signals. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E300. [PMID: 31151311 PMCID: PMC6616600 DOI: 10.3390/ani9060300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoological institutions often encourage cooperative interactions between keepers and animals so as to promote animals' welfare. One useful technique has been conditioning training, whereby animals learn to respond to keepers' requests, which facilitates a number of, otherwise sensitive, daily routines. As various media have been used to convey keepers' instructions, the question remains of which modality is best to promote mutual understanding. Here, we explored this question with two captive female orangutans. In the first experiment, we compared orangutans' understanding of previously acquired instructions when those were performed with verbal signals only, gazes only, gestures only, and when all those modalities were combined. Our results showed that gestures were sufficient for successful comprehension by these two apes. In the second experiment, we asked whether this preference could be driven by the non-arbitrary relationship that gestures bear to what they refer to, through iconicity or pointing. Our results revealed that neither iconicity nor pointing helped the subjects comprehend the keepers' instructions. Our results indicate a preference for instructions given through gestural signals in two captive female orangutans, although its cause remains elusive. Future practice may encourage the use of gestures in communication between keepers and orangutans in general or potentially other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Dezecache
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'Etudes Cognitives, ENS, EHESS, PSL Research University, CNRS, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Aude Bourgeois
- Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, DGD Musées, Jardins et Zoos, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Christophe Bazin
- Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, DGD Musées, Jardins et Zoos, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Philippe Schlenker
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'Etudes Cognitives, ENS, EHESS, PSL Research University, CNRS, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.
- Department of Linguistics, New York University, 10 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Emmanuel Chemla
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d'Etudes Cognitives, ENS, PSL Research University, EHESS, CNRS, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Audrey Maille
- Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, DGD Musées, Jardins et Zoos, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
- Unité Eco-anthropologie UMR 7206, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris, France.
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Ovariectomy Impairs Socio-Cognitive Functions in Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9020058. [PMID: 30769794 PMCID: PMC6406991 DOI: 10.3390/ani9020058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The aim of this study was to test whether ovariectomy in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) could impair a female’s ability in a socio-cognitive task. Forty pet dogs (18 intact females (IF) and 22 gonadectomized females (GF)) were tested in the object choice task paradigm using a human proximal pointing gesture. For the analysis, the frequency of correct, wrong and no-choices was collected; moreover, the latency of the correct choices was also considered. The IF group followed the pointing gestures more often than the GF group and with a lower latency whereas a significantly higher no-choice frequency was recorded for the GF group. Abstract Recent studies have underlined the effect of ovariectomy on the spatial cognition of female dogs, with ovariectomized dogs showing a clear preference for an egocentric rather than an allocentric navigation strategy whereas intact females did not show preferences. Intact females had better performances than gonadectomized females in solving a learning task in a maze. Ovariectomy also affects socio-cognitive abilities, reducing the dog’s level of attention on the owner. We tested dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in the object choice task paradigm to assess whether an ovariectomy could impair females’ ability to follow human signals. Forty pet dogs (18 intact females (IF) and 22 gonadectomized females (GF)) were tested in the object choice task paradigm using the human proximal pointing gesture. For the analysis, the frequency of correct, wrong and no-choices was collected; moreover, the latency of the correct choices was also considered. The IF group followed the pointing gestures more often than the GF group and with a lower latency, whereas a significantly higher no-choice frequency was recorded for the GF group. These results show a detrimental effect of ovariectomy on dogs’ socio-cognitive skills related to the responsiveness to human pointing gestures.
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Human facial expression affects a dog's response to conflicting directional gestural cues. Behav Processes 2019; 159:80-85. [PMID: 30610904 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
There is growing scientific interest in both the ability of dogs to evaluate emotional cues and their response to social cueing, we therefore examined the interaction between these by investigating whether human facial expression impact on dogs' approach preference to conflicting directional gestural signals. During testing, a human demonstrator simultaneously pointed in one direction and faced (looked towards) in another towards one of two food bowls placed on opposite sides of the demonstrator with either a happy, angry or neutral facial expression. Thirty-six pet dogs were assessed for their approach preference, approach time, alongside aspects of their temperament (positive/negative activation and impulsivity via validated questionnaires). Dogs significantly preferred to follow the 'point' over 'face' cue when the demonstrator displayed angry or neutral expressions but showed no significant preference when the demonstrator displayed a happy expression. Additionally, dogs scoring higher for impulsivity approached the chosen cue significantly faster than those with lower scores. The findings show that dogs integrate information available from human emotional facial expressions with directional gestural information in their response choices within dog-human interactions.
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Barrera G, Alterisio A, Scandurra A, Bentosela M, D'Aniello B. Training improves inhibitory control in water rescue dogs. Anim Cogn 2018; 22:127-131. [PMID: 30421377 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1224-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control is a collection of several processes that are aimed to refrain from any impulsive response in the subject during inappropriate situations. Evidence suggests that in dogs, the inhibitory control is affected by domestication process, but also experiences during ontogeny could be an important driver in acquiring inhibitory control. The aim of the study was to compare the performance of highly trained dogs (i.e., water rescue dogs) and pet dogs in the A-not-B task. In this procedure, the animals have to inhibit their urge of going to a previous reinforced place. The results showed that the trained dogs committed fewer errors in the task than the pet dogs suggesting a better inhibitory control. This result could indicate that inhibitory control is a flexible ability affected by ontogenetic processes such as the training experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Barrera
- Canid Behavior Research Group (ICOC), Institute of Veterinary Sciences of the Litoral (ICIVET Litoral), UNL-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Alessandra Alterisio
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Mariana Bentosela
- Canid Behavior Research Group (ICOC), Institute of Medical Research (IDIM, CONICET-UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy.
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25
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Roles for referential focus in effective and efficient canine signaling: Do pet and working dogs differ? J Vet Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Scandurra A, Alterisio A, Di Cosmo A, D'Aniello B. Behavioral and Perceptual Differences between Sexes in Dogs: An Overview. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:E151. [PMID: 30142932 PMCID: PMC6162565 DOI: 10.3390/ani8090151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we review the scientific reports of sex-related differences in dogs as compared to the outcomes described for wild animals. Our aim was to explore whether the differences in male and female dogs were affected by the domestication process, in which artificial selection is the main driver. For this purpose, we used information regarding personality traits, cognitive processes, and perception, for which there is a wide theoretical framework in behavioral ecology. Aggressiveness and boldness, described as a behavioral syndrome, were reported as being higher in males than females. Females also seemed more inclined to interspecific social interactions with humans in tasks that require cooperative skills, whereas males appeared more inclined to social play, thus implying different levels of social engagement between the sexes, depending on the context. Studies on cognitive processes underlined a greater flexibility in resorting to a particular navigation strategy in males. Most lateralization studies seem to support the view that males are preferentially left-handed and females are preferentially right-handed. Reports on visual focusing coherently rank females as superior in focusing on single social and physical stimuli. Only male dogs are able to discriminate kin; however, the timing of the olfactory recording in sexes is related to the stimulus relevance. Dogs are largely in line with life-history theories, which indicate that sex differences in dogs are mainly rooted in their biological and evolutionary heritage, remaining unchanged despite artificial selection. In contrast, the higher intraspecific sociability in wild male animals was not replicated in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | | | - Anna Di Cosmo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy.
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Bremhorst A, Bütler S, Würbel H, Riemer S. Incentive motivation in pet dogs - preference for constant vs varied food rewards. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9756. [PMID: 29950698 PMCID: PMC6021384 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28079-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been a move towards positive reinforcement using food rewards in animal training. By definition, rewards function as reinforcers if they increase or maintain the frequency of behaviour that they follow. However, in operant conditioning tasks animals frequently show systematic changes in performance - in particular a reduction in responding over time. One suggested strategy to avoid such performance decrements is to provide a variety of food rewards, rather than the same food reward in all trials. The enhancement of appetitive behaviour and consumption by reward variation is referred to as 'variety effect'. We investigated whether dogs preferred a variable or a constant food reward in a concurrent two-choice test. Of 16 dogs, six subjects showed a significant preference for the varied food reward and six for the constant food reward, while four dogs exhibited no significant preference for either option. At the group level, there was a significant effect of block: preference for the varied food reward increased across six blocks of ten trials each. Thus, although some individuals may prefer a single, favourite food reward in the short term, introducing variation in reward types may maintain dogs' motivation in operant tasks over a longer time period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Bremhorst
- Division of Animal Welfare, DCR-VPHI, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Sarah Bütler
- Division of Animal Welfare, DCR-VPHI, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Division of Animal Welfare, DCR-VPHI, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Riemer
- Division of Animal Welfare, DCR-VPHI, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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Feng LC, Howell TJ, Bennett PC. Practices and perceptions of clicker use in dog training: A survey-based investigation of dog owners and industry professionals. J Vet Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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29
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Scandurra A, Alterisio A, Aria M, Vernese R, D'Aniello B. Should I fetch one or the other? A study on dogs on the object choice in the bimodal contrasting paradigm. Anim Cogn 2017; 21:119-126. [PMID: 29134447 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1145-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The present study assessed how dogs weigh gestural versus verbal information communicated to them by humans in transitive actions. The dogs were trained by their owners to fetch an object under three conditions: a bimodal congruent condition characterized by using gestures and voices simultaneously; a unimodal gestural condition characterized by using only gestures; and a unimodal verbal condition characterized by using only voices. An additional condition, defined as a bimodal incongruent condition, was later added, in which the gesture contrasted with the verbal command, that is, the owner indicated an object while pronouncing the name of the other object visible to dogs. In the incongruent condition, seven out of nine dogs choose to follow the gestural indication and performed above chance, two were at chance, whereas none of the dogs followed the verbal cues above chance. The dogs, as a group, performed above chance the gestural command in 73.6% of cases. The analysis of latencies in the above-mentioned four conditions exhibited significant differences. The unimodal verbal and the gestural conditions recorded a slower performance than both the bimodal incongruent and congruent conditions. No statistical differences were observed between the unimodal and bimodal conditions. Our results demonstrate that dogs, trained to respond equally well to gestural and verbal commands, choose to follow the indication provided by the gestural command than the verbal one to a significant extent in transitive actions. Furthermore, the responses to bimodal conditions were found to be quicker than the unimodal ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Alterisio
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Aria
- Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rosaria Vernese
- Dog training center La voce del cane, Via Pisciarelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy.
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Interspecies transmission of emotional information via chemosignals: from humans to dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Anim Cogn 2017; 21:67-78. [PMID: 28988316 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1139-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We report a study examining interspecies emotion transfer via body odors (chemosignals). Do human body odors (chemosignals) produced under emotional conditions of happiness and fear provide information that is detectable by pet dogs (Labrador and Golden retrievers)? The odor samples were collected from the axilla of male donors not involved in the main experiment. The experimental setup involved the co-presence of the dog's owner, a stranger and the odor dispenser in a space where the dogs could move freely. There were three odor conditions [fear, happiness, and control (no sweat)] to which the dogs were assigned randomly. The dependent variables were the relevant behaviors of the dogs (e.g., approaching, interacting and gazing) directed to the three targets (owner, stranger, sweat dispenser) aside from the dogs' stress and heart rate indicators. The results indicated with high accuracy that the dogs manifested the predicted behaviors in the three conditions. There were fewer and shorter owner directed behaviors and more stranger directed behaviors when they were in the "happy odor condition" compared to the fear odor and control conditions. In the fear odor condition, they displayed more stressful behaviors. The heart rate data in the control and happy conditions were significantly lower than in the fear condition. Our findings suggest that interspecies emotional communication is facilitated by chemosignals.
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