1
|
Turcsán B, Kubinyi E. Differential behavioral aging trajectories according to body size, expected lifespan, and head shape in dogs. GeroScience 2024; 46:1731-1754. [PMID: 37740140 PMCID: PMC10828231 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00945-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The twofold life expectancy difference between dog breeds predicts differential behavioral and cognitive aging patterns between short- and long-lived dogs. To investigate this prediction, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis using survey data from over 15,000 dogs. We examined the effect of expected lifespan and three related factors (body size, head shape, and purebred status) on the age trajectory of various behavioral characteristics and the prevalence of canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). Our findings reveal that, although age-related decline in most behavioral characteristics began around 10.5 years of age, the proportion of dogs considered "old" by their owners began to increase uniformly around 6 years of age. From the investigated factors, only body size had a systematic, although not gradual, impact on the aging trajectories of all behavioral characteristics. Dogs weighing over 30 kg exhibited an earlier onset of decline by 2-3 years and a slower rate of decline compared to smaller dogs, probably as a byproduct of their faster age-related physical decline. Larger sized dogs also showed a lower prevalence of CCD risk in their oldest age group, whereas smaller-sized dogs, dolichocephalic breeds, and purebreds had a higher CCD risk prevalence. The identification of differential behavioral and cognitive aging trajectories across dog groups, and the observed associations between body size and the onset, rate, and degree of cognitive decline in dogs have significant translational implications for human aging research, providing valuable insights into the interplay between morphology, physiological ageing, and cognitive decline, and unravelling the trade-off between longevity and relative healthspan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
- Senior Family Dog Project, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Senior Family Dog Project, Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bognár Z, Turcsán B, Faragó T, Szabó D, Iotchev IB, Kubinyi E. Age-related effects on a hierarchical structure of canine cognition. GeroScience 2024:10.1007/s11357-024-01123-1. [PMID: 38512580 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01123-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The current study investigates whether there are statistically independent age-related influences on the canine cognitive structure and how individual factors moderate cognitive aging on both cross-sectional and longitudinal samples. A battery of seven tasks was administered to 129 pet dogs, on which exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to unveil the correlational structure underlying individual differences in cognitive performance. The best-fitting model featured a hierarchical structure with two first-order cognitive domains (individual problem solving, learning) and a second-order common factor. These higher order factors exhibited consistency over a period of at least 2.5 years. External validation linked the common factor positively to discrimination and reversal learning performance, exploration, neophilia, activity/excitability, and training level while negatively to cognitive dysfunction symptoms, suggesting that it is a good candidate for a general cognitive factor (canine g). Structural equation models identified three distinct age-related influences, operating on associative learning, on memory, and on canine g. Health status moderated the negative age-canine g relationship, with a stronger association observed in dogs with poorer health status, and no relationship for dogs in good health. On a longitudinal sample (N = 99), we showed that the direction and magnitude of change in canine g over up to 3 years is affected by various interactions between the dogs' age, communication score, baseline performance, and time elapsed since the baseline measurement. These findings underscore the presence of a general cognitive factor in dogs and reveal intriguing parallels between human and canine aging, affirming the translational value of dogs in cognition and aging research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Bognár
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Tamás Faragó
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Szabó
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Turcsán B, Román V, Lévay G, Lendvai B, Kedves R, Petró E, Topál J. Intranasal Oxytocin Improves Social Behavior in Laboratory Beagle Dogs (Canis familiaris) Using a Custom-Made Social Test Battery. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:785805. [PMID: 35280140 PMCID: PMC8907566 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.785805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
For a long time, oxytocin has been thought to have a generally positive effect on social cognition and prosocial behavior; however, recent results suggested that oxytocin has beneficial effects only under certain conditions. The aim of the present study was to explore potential associations between social competence and the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the social behavior of laboratory beagle dogs. We expected oxytocin treatment to have a more pronounced positive effect on dogs with lower baseline performance in a social test battery. Thirty-six adult dogs of both sexes received 32 IU intranasal oxytocin and physiological saline (placebo) treatment in a double-blind, cross-over design, with 17–20 days between the two sessions. Forty minutes after the treatment, dogs participated in a social test battery consisting of eight situations. The situations were carried out within one session and took 20–30 min to complete. Principal component analysis on the coded behaviors identified four components (Willingness to interact, Preference for social contact, Non-aversive response to nonsocial threat, and Non-aversive response to social threat). The subjects' behavior during the placebo condition was used to assess their baseline performance. We found that oxytocin treatment had a differential effect on the behavior depending on the baseline performance of the individuals in all components, but only two treatment × baseline performance interactions remained significant in a less sensitive analysis. In accordance with our hypothesis, oxytocin administration increased dogs' contact seeking and affiliative behaviors toward humans but only for those with low baseline performance. Dogs with low baseline performance also showed significantly more positive (friendly) reactions to social threat after oxytocin administration than after placebo, while for dogs with high baseline performance, oxytocin administration led to a more negative (fearful) reaction. These results indicate that similar to those on humans, the effects of oxytocin on dogs' social behavior are not universally positive but are constrained by individual characteristics and the context. Nevertheless, oxytocin administration has the potential to improve the social behavior of laboratory beagle dogs that are socially less proficient when interacting with humans, which could have both applied and animal welfare implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Borbála Turcsán
| | - Viktor Román
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Lévay
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Lendvai
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rita Kedves
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Petró
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Topál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Turcsán B, Tátrai K, Petró E, Topál J, Balogh L, Egyed B, Kubinyi E. Comparison of Behavior and Genetic Structure in Populations of Family and Kenneled Beagles. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:183. [PMID: 32351979 PMCID: PMC7174610 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In dogs, the social and spatial restriction associated with living in a kennel environment could lead to chronic stress and the development of abnormal behaviors (“kennel-dog syndrome”). However, little is known about how kenneled dogs differ from their conspecifics living as pets in human families. In the current study, using a test battery exposing the dogs to novel stimuli, we compared the behavior of three groups of beagles: (1) kenneled dogs living in a restricted environment with limited human contact (N = 78), (2) family dogs living in human families as pets (N = 37), and (3) adopted dogs born in the kenneled population but raised in human families (N = 13). We found one factor comprising most of the test behaviors, labeled as Responsiveness. Family dogs and adopted dogs scored higher in Responsiveness than kenneled dogs. However, 23% of the kenneled dogs were comparable to family and adopted dogs based on a cluster analysis, indicating a similar (positive) reaction to novel stimuli, while 77% of the kenneled dogs were unresponsive (mostly immobile) in at least part of the test. To assess if the behavioral difference between the family and kenneled dogs could be due to genetic divergence of these two populations and/or to lower genetic diversity of the kenneled dogs, we analyzed their genetic structure using 11 microsatellite markers. We found no significant difference between the populations in their genetic diversity (i.e., heterozygosity, level of inbreeding), nor any evidence that the family and kenneled populations originated from different genetic pools. Thus, the behavior difference between the groups more likely reflects a G × E interaction, that is, the influence of specific genetic variants manifesting under specific environmental conditions (kennel life). Nevertheless, some kenneled individuals were (genetically) more resistant to social and environmental deprivation. Selecting for such animals could strongly improve the welfare of kenneled dog populations. Moreover, exploring the genetic background of their higher resilience could also help to better understand the genetics behind stress- and fear-related behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kitti Tátrai
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Petró
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Topál
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lajos Balogh
- Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Egyed
- Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eniko Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Turcsán B, Wallis L, Virányi Z, Range F, Müller CA, Huber L, Riemer S. Correction: Personality traits in companion dogs-Results from the VIDOPET. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224199. [PMID: 31618278 PMCID: PMC6795491 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
6
|
Iotchev IB, Kis A, Turcsán B, Tejeda Fernández de Lara DR, Reicher V, Kubinyi E. Age-related differences and sexual dimorphism in canine sleep spindles. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10092. [PMID: 31300672 PMCID: PMC6626048 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46434-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-REM bursts of activity in the sigma range (9-16 Hz) typical of sleep spindles predict learning in dogs, similar to humans and rats. Little is known, however, about the age-related changes in amplitude, density (spindles/minute) and frequency (waves/second) of canine spindles. We investigated a large sample (N = 155) of intact and neutered pet dogs of both sexes, varying in breed and age, searching for spindles in segments of non-REM sleep. We recorded EEG from both a frontal midline electrode (Fz) and a central midline electrode (Cz) in 55.5% of the dogs, in the remaining animals only the Fz electrode was active (bipolar derivation). A similar topography was observed for fast (≥13 Hz) spindle occurrence as in humans (fast spindle number, density on Cz > Fz). For fast spindles, density was higher in females, and increased with age. These effects were more pronounced among intact animals and on Fz. Slow spindle density declined and fast spindle frequency increased with age on Cz, while on Fz age-related amplitude decline was observed. The frequency of fast spindles on Fz and slow spindles on Cz was linked to both sex and neutering, suggesting modulation by sexual hormones. Intact females displayed higher frequencies than males and neutered females. Our findings support the argument that sigma bursts in the canine non-REM sleep are analogous to human sleep spindles, and suggest that slow and fast spindles display different trajectories related to age, of which an increase in frontal fast spindles is unique to dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Kis
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Vivien Reicher
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Topál J, Román V, Turcsán B. The dog (Canis familiaris) as a translational model of autism: It is high time we move from promise to reality. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci 2019; 10:e1495. [PMID: 30762306 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Selecting appropriate animal models for a particular human phenomenon is a difficult but important challenge. The difficulty lies in finding animal behaviors that are not only sufficiently relevant and analog to the complex human symptoms (face validity) but also have similar underlying biological and etiological mechanisms (translational or construct validity), and have "human-like" responses to treatment (predictive validity). Over the past several years, the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) has become increasingly proposed as a model for comparative and translational neuroscience. In parallel to the recent advances in canine behavior research, dogs have also been proposed as a model of many human neuropsychiatric conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this opinion paper we will shortly discuss the challenging nature of autism research then summarize the different neurocognitive frameworks for ASD making the case for a canine model of autism. The translational value of a dog model stems from the recognition that (a) there is a large inter-individual variability in the manifestation of dogs' social cognitive abilities including both high and low phenotypic extremes; (b) the phenotypic similarity between the dog and human symptoms are much higher than between the rodent and human symptoms; (c) the symptoms are functionally analogous to the human condition; and (d) more likely to have similar etiology. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Comparative Psychology Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- József Topál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Román
- Laboratory of Neurodevelopmental Biology, Chemical Works of Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Galambos Á, Turcsán B, Oláh K, Elekes F, Gergely A, Király I, Topál J. Visual Fixation Patterns During Viewing of Half-Face Stimuli in Adults: An Eye-Tracking Study. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2478. [PMID: 30618923 PMCID: PMC6297881 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human faces play a special role in social cognition, since as a core signal of interpersonal communication, they convey various kinds of information (e.g., about sex, age, race, emotions, intentions). Study 1 aimed to explore how this specialization manifests itself in eye movements when looking at neutral, static, female faces. We monitored the gaze pattern of 23 adult participants using eye-tracking method. To test if template-driven processes are involved in face perception, and to see how inversion affects fixations on special facial stimuli, we presented vertically cut half-faces in upright and inverted positions (so half of each stimulus represented a half-face, whereas the other half was left blank). Our results corroborate prior findings consistently demonstrating the dominance of the triangular area marked by the eyes and the mouth, measured by the number and duration of fixations. In addition, we found evidence for so-called complementary fixations, targeted at the non-informative parts (i.e., the half that does not contain any facial information) of the pictures, suggesting that other mechanisms beyond purely stimulus-driven ones might drive looking behavior when scanning faces. Study 2 was intended to test if these systematic eye movements are face-specific or occur in case of other visual objects as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ágoston Galambos
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Cognitive Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Oláh
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Cognitive Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fruzsina Elekes
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Cognitive Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Gergely
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Király
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Topál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Turcsán B, Wallis L, Virányi Z, Range F, Müller CA, Huber L, Riemer S. Personality traits in companion dogs-Results from the VIDOPET. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195448. [PMID: 29634747 PMCID: PMC5892901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual behavioural differences in pet dogs are of great interest from a basic and applied research perspective. Most existing dog personality tests have specific (practical) goals in mind and so focused only on a limited aspect of dogs' personality, such as identifying problematic (aggressive or fearful) behaviours, assessing suitability as working dogs, or improving the results of adoption. Here we aimed to create a comprehensive test of personality in pet dogs that goes beyond traditional practical evaluations by exposing pet dogs to a range of situations they might encounter in everyday life. The Vienna Dog Personality Test (VIDOPET) consists of 15 subtests and was performed on 217 pet dogs. A two-step data reduction procedure (principal component analysis on each subtest followed by an exploratory factor analysis on the subtest components) yielded five factors: Sociability-obedience, Activity-independence, Novelty seeking, Problem orientation, and Frustration tolerance. A comprehensive evaluation of reliability and validity measures demonstrated excellent inter- and intra-observer reliability and adequate internal consistency of all factors. Moreover the test showed good temporal consistency when re-testing a subsample of dogs after an average of 3.8 years-a considerably longer test-retest interval than assessed for any other dog personality test, to our knowledge. The construct validity of the test was investigated by analysing the correlations between the results of video coding and video rating methods and the owners' assessment via a dog personality questionnaire. The results demonstrated good convergent as well as discriminant validity. To conclude, the VIDOPET is not only a highly reliable and valid tool for measuring dog personality, but also the first test to show consistent behavioural traits related to problem solving ability and frustration tolerance in pet dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lisa Wallis
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Corsin A. Müller
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Riemer
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Division of Animal Welfare, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kovács K, Virányi Z, Kis A, Turcsán B, Hudecz Á, Marmota MT, Koller D, Rónai Z, Gácsi M, Topál J. Dog-Owner Attachment Is Associated With Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Both Parties. A Comparative Study on Austrian and Hungarian Border Collies. Front Psychol 2018; 9:435. [PMID: 29674985 PMCID: PMC5895926 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Variations in human infants' attachment behavior are associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, suggesting a genetic component to infant-mother attachment. However, due to the genetic relatedness of infants and their mothers, it is difficult to separate the genetic effects of infants' OXTR genotype from the environmental effects of mothers' genotype possibly affecting their parental behavior. The apparent functional analogy between child-parent and dog-owner relationship, however, offers a way to disentangle the effects of these factors because pet dogs are not genetically related to their caregivers. In the present study we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms of pet dogs' OXTR gene (-213AG,-94TC,-74CG) and their owners' OXTR gene (rs53576, rs1042778, rs2254298) are associated with components of dog-owner attachment. In order to investigate whether social-environmental effects modulate the potential genetic influence on attachment, dogs and their owners from two different countries (Austria and Hungary, N = 135 in total) were tested in a modified version of the Ainsworth Strange Situation Test (SST) and questionnaires were also used to collect information about owner personality and attachment style. We coded variables related to three components of attachment behavior in dogs: their sensitivity to the separation from and interaction with the owner (Attachment), stress caused by the unfamiliar environment (Anxiety), and their responsiveness to the stranger (Acceptance). We found that (1) dogs' behavior was significantly associated with polymorphisms in both dogs' and owners' OXTR gene, (2) SNPs in dogs' and owners' OXTR gene interactively influenced dog-human relationship, (3) dogs' attachment behavior was affected by the country of origin, and (4) it was related to their owners' personality as well as attachment style. Thus, the present study provides evidence, for the first time, that both genetic variation in the OXTR gene and various aspects of pet dogs' environmental background are associated with their attachment to their human caregivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Kovács
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Comparative Cognition & Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Kis
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Hudecz
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maria T Marmota
- Comparative Cognition & Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dóra Koller
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Rónai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Gácsi
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Topál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Turcsán B, Range F, Rónai Z, Koller D, Virányi Z. Context and Individual Characteristics Modulate the Association between Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphism and Social Behavior in Border Collies. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2232. [PMID: 29312078 PMCID: PMC5742244 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that the relationship between endogenous oxytocin and social affiliative behavior can be critically moderated by contextual and individual factors in humans. While oxytocin has been shown to influence human-directed affiliative behaviors in dogs, no study investigated yet how such factors moderate these effects. Our study aimed to investigate whether the context and the dogs’ individual characteristics moderate the associations between the social affiliative (greeting) behavior and four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene. We recorded the greeting behavior in three contexts: (1) when the dog first met an unfamiliar experimenter, (2) during a separation from the owner, and (3) after the experimenter approached the dog in a threatening manner. In the latter two contexts (during separation and after threatening), we categorized the dogs into stressed and non-stressed groups based on their behavior in the preceding situations. In line with previous studies, we found that polymorphisms in the OXTR gene are related to the greeting behavior of dogs. However, we also showed that the analyzed SNPs were associated with greeting in different contexts and in different individuals, suggesting that the four SNPs might be related to different functions of the oxytocin system. The -213A/G was associated with greeting only when the dog had no prior negative experience with the experimenter. The rs8679682 was found in association with greeting in all three contexts but these associations were significant only in non-stressed dogs. The -94T/C was associated with greeting only when the dog was stressed and had an interaction with the sex of the dog. The -74C/G SNP was associated with greeting only when the dog was stressed during separation and also had a sex interaction. Taken together, our results suggest that, similarly to humans, the effects of oxytocin on the dogs’ social behavior are not universal, but constrained by features of situations and individuals. Understanding these constraints helps further clarify how oxytocin mediates social behavior which, in the long run, could improve the application of oxytocin in pharmacotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- Comparative Cognition and Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Friederike Range
- Comparative Cognition and Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsolt Rónai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Koller
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Comparative Cognition and Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
It has been suggested that the way in which owners interact with their dogs can largely vary and influence the dog-owner bond, but very few objective studies, so far, have addressed how the owner interacts with the dog. The goal of the present study was to record dog owners' interaction styles by means of objective observation and coding. The experiment included eight standardized situations in which owners of pet dogs were asked to perform specific tasks including both positive (i.e. playing, teaching a new task, showing a preference towards an object in a food searching task, greeting after separation) and potentially distressing tasks (i.e. physical restriction during DNA sampling, putting a T-shirt onto the dog, giving basic obedience commands while the dog was distracted). The video recordings were coded off-line using a specifically designed coding scheme including scores for communication, social support, warmth, enthusiasm, and play style, as well as frequency of behaviors like petting, praising, commands, and attention sounds. Exploratory Factor Analysis of the 20 variables measured revealed 3 factors, labeled as Owner Warmth, Owner Social Support, and Owner Control, which can be viewed as analogues to parenting style dimensions. The experimental procedure introduced here represents the first standardized measure of interaction styles of dog owners. The methodology presented here is a useful tool to investigate individual variation in the interaction style of pet dog owners that can be used to explain differences in the dog-human relationship, dogs' behavioral outcomes, and dogs stress coping strategies, all crucial elements both from a theoretical and applied point of view.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cimarelli
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna; Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna; Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna;
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna; Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
| | - Friederike Range
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna; Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna; Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Cimarelli G, Virányi Z, Turcsán B, Rónai Z, Sasvári-Székely M, Bánlaki Z. Social Behavior of Pet Dogs Is Associated with Peripheral OXTR Methylation. Front Psychol 2017; 8:549. [PMID: 28443051 PMCID: PMC5385375 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a key modulator of emotional processing and social cognitive function. In line with this, polymorphisms of genes involved in oxytocin signaling, like the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, are known to influence social behavior in various species. However, to date, no study has investigated environmental factors possibly influencing the epigenetic variation of the OXTR gene and its behavioral effects in dogs. Pet dogs form individualized and strong relationships with their owners who are central figures in the social environment of their dogs and therefore might influence the methylation levels of their OXTR gene. Here we set out to investigate whether DNA methylation within the OXTR promoter region of pet dogs is linked to their owner's interaction style and to the social behavior of the dogs. To be able to do so, we collected buccal epithelial cells and, in Study 1, we used pyrosequencing techniques to look for differentially methylated CpG sites in the canine OXTR promoter region on a heterogeneous sample of dogs and wolves of different ages and keeping conditions. Four identified sites (at positions -727, -751, -1371, and -1383 from transcription start site) showing more than 10% methylation variation were then, in Study 2, measured in triplicate in 217 pet Border Collies previously tested for reactions to an adverse social situation (i.e., approach by a threatening human) and with available data on their owners' interaction styles. We found that CpG methylation was significantly associated with the behavior of the dogs, in particular with the likelihood that dogs would hide behind their owner or remain passive when approached by a threatening human. On the other hand, CpG methylation was not related to the owners' behavior but to dog sex (at position -1371). Our findings underpin the complex relationship between epigenetics and behavior and highlight the importance of including epigenetic methods in the analysis of dog behavioral development. Further research is needed to investigate which environmental factors influence the epigenetic variation of the OXTR gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cimarelli
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
- Wolf Science CenterErnstbrunn, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
- Wolf Science CenterErnstbrunn, Austria
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of SciencesBudapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Rónai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Mária Sasvári-Székely
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Bánlaki
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Studies about the behaviours of mixed-breed dogs are rare, although mixed-breeds represent the majority of the world’s dog population. We have conducted two surveys to investigate the behavioural, demographic, and dog keeping differences between purebred and mixed-breed companion dogs. Questionnaire data were collected on a large sample of dogs living in Germany (N = 7,700 purebred dogs representing more than 200 breeds, and N = 7,691 mixed-breeds). We found that according to their owners, mixed-breeds were (1) less calm, (2) less sociable toward other dogs, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). Mixed-breeds and purebreds were similar in trainability and boldness scores. However, twelve out of 20 demographic and dog keeping factors differed between purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and two factors showed considerable (> 10%) differences: neutering was more frequent among mixed-breeds, and they were acquired at older ages than purebreds (p < 0.001 for both), which could result in the observed behaviour differences. After controlling for the distribution of the demographic and dog keeping factors, we found that mixed-breeds were (1) more trainable than purebreds, (2) less calm, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). We discuss that these differences at least partly might be due to selective forces. Our results suggest that instead of being the “average” dogs, mixed-breeds represent a special group with characteristic behavioural traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Borbála Turcsán
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| | - Ádám Miklósi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethological Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Cimarelli G, Turcsán B, Bánlaki Z, Range F, Virányi Z. Dog Owners' Interaction Styles: Their Components and Associations with Reactions of Pet Dogs to a Social Threat. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1979. [PMID: 28066298 PMCID: PMC5168437 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The bond dogs develop with their owner received increased attention in the last years but no study aimed at characterizing the way in which owners interact with their dogs in their daily life and how this might influence dog behavior. In order to examine how dog owners interact with their dogs, we first analyzed the behavior of 220 dog owners in 8 different standardized situations involving the owner-dog dyad. We extracted 3 behavioral factors related to “Owner Warmth,” “Owner Social Support,” and “Owner Control.” Further, we investigated whether owner personality, gender and age are associated with these three factors. Results indicated that older owners scored lower in “Owner Warmth” and in “Owner Social Support” and higher in “Owner Control” than younger owners. Furthermore, owners scoring high in “Owner Control” scored lower in the personality trait Openness and owners scoring high in “Owner Social Support” scored lower in the personality trait Conscientiousness. Finally, we also analyzed whether the dogs' reaction to an unfamiliar woman's threatening approach was associated with the owners' interaction styles. Results showed that dogs that searched for proximity of their owners during the threatening situation had owners scoring higher in “Owner Warmth,” as compared to dogs that reacted more autonomously, approaching the unfamiliar experimenter. Analogies between dog-owner interaction styles and human parenting styles are discussed considering the implications of the present findings for human social psychology as well as the practical relevance for dog welfare and human safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cimarelli
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of ViennaVienna, Austria; Wolf Science CenterErnstbrunn, Austria; Department of Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of ViennaVienna, Austria; Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of SciencesBudapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Bánlaki
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary
| | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of ViennaVienna, Austria; Wolf Science CenterErnstbrunn, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of ViennaVienna, Austria; Wolf Science CenterErnstbrunn, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Oláh K, Elekes F, Turcsán B, Kis O, Topál J. Social Pre-treatment Modulates Attention Allocation to Transient and Stable Object Properties. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1619. [PMID: 27826267 PMCID: PMC5078729 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that ostensive-communicative signals in social learning situations enable observers to focus their attention on the intrinsic features of an object (e.g., color) at the expense of ignoring transient object properties (e.g., location). Here we investigated whether off-line social cues, presented as social primes, have the same power to modulate attention allocation to stable and transient object properties as on-line ostensive-communicative cues. The first part of the experiment consisted of a pre-treatment phase, where adult male participants either received intensive social stimulation or were asked to perform non-social actions. Then, they participated in a change detection test, where they watched pairs of pictures depicting an array of five objects. On the second picture, a change occurred compared to the first picture. One object changed either its location (moving forward or backward) or was replaced by another object, and participants were required to indicate where the change had happened. We found that participants detected the change more successfully if it had happened in the location of the object; however, this difference was reduced following a socially intense pre-treatment phase. The results are discussed in relation to the claims of the natural pedagogy theory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Oláh
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of SciencesBudapest, Hungary; Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Fruzsina Elekes
- Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Cognitive Development Center, Central European UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Kis
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of SciencesBudapest, Hungary; Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and EconomicsBudapest, Hungary
| | - József Topál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
|
18
|
Kis A, Bence M, Lakatos G, Pergel E, Turcsán B, Pluijmakers J, Vas J, Elek Z, Brúder I, Földi L, Sasvári-Székely M, Miklósi Á, Rónai Z, Kubinyi E. Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with human directed social behavior in dogs (Canis familiaris). PLoS One 2014; 9:e83993. [PMID: 24454713 PMCID: PMC3893090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin system has a crucial role in human sociality; several results prove that polymorphisms of the oxytocin receptor gene are related to complex social behaviors in humans. Dogs' parallel evolution with humans and their adaptation to the human environment has made them a useful species to model human social interactions. Previous research indicates that dogs are eligible models for behavioral genetic research, as well. Based on these previous findings, our research investigated associations between human directed social behaviors and two newly described (-212AG, 19131AG) and one known (rs8679684) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulatory regions (5' and 3' UTR) of the oxytocin receptor gene in German Shepherd (N = 104) and Border Collie (N = 103) dogs. Dogs' behavior traits have been estimated in a newly developed test series consisting of five episodes: Greeting by a stranger, Separation from the owner, Problem solving, Threatening approach, Hiding of the owner. Buccal samples were collected and DNA was isolated using standard protocols. SNPs in the 3' and 5' UTR regions were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction based techniques followed by subsequent electrophoresis analysis. The gene-behavior association analysis suggests that oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms have an impact in both breeds on (i) proximity seeking towards an unfamiliar person, as well as their owner, and on (ii) how friendly dogs behave towards strangers, although the mediating molecular regulatory mechanisms are yet unknown. Based on these results, we conclude that similarly to humans, the social behavior of dogs towards humans is influenced by the oxytocin system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kis
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Melinda Bence
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Enikő Pergel
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Borbála Turcsán
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jolanda Pluijmakers
- Department of Ethology and Animal Welfare, Catholic University College Ghent, Brugge, Belgium
| | - Judit Vas
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Zsuzsanna Elek
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Brúder
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Levente Földi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mária Sasvári-Székely
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Miklósi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Rónai
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Comparative Ethology Research Group, MTA-ELTE, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Turcsán B, Range F, Virányi Z, Miklósi Á, Kubinyi E. Birds of a feather flock together? Perceived personality matching in owner–dog dyads. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2012.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
20
|
Turcsán B, Kubinyi E, Miklósi Á. Trainability and boldness traits differ between dog breed clusters based on conventional breed categories and genetic relatedness. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
21
|
Turcsán B, Kubinyi E, Virányi Z, Range F. Personality matching in owner-dog dyads. J Vet Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2010.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
22
|
Kubinyi E, Turcsán B, Miklósi Á. Dog and owner demographic characteristics and dog personality trait associations. Behav Processes 2009; 81:392-401. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2009.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Revised: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/08/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|