Genetic distance from wolves affects family dogs’ reactions towards howls


Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Lehoczki, Fanni 
Andics, Attila 
Kubinyi, Enikő 
Passilongo, Daniela 
Abstract

Domestication dramatically changes behaviour, including communication, as seen in the case of dogs (Canis familiaris) and wolves (Canis lupus). We tested the hypothesis that domestication may affect an ancient, shared communication form of canids, the howling which seems to have higher individual variation in dogs: the perception and usage of howls may be affected by the genetic relatedness of the breeds to their last common ancestor with wolves (‘root distance’) and by other individual features like age, sex, and reproductive status. We exposed 68 purebred dogs to wolf howl playbacks and recorded their responses. We identified an interaction between root distance and age on the dogs’ vocal and behavioural responses: older dogs from more ancient breeds responded longer with howls and showed more stress behaviours. Our results suggest that domestication impacts vocal behaviour significantly: disintegrating howling, a central, species-specific communication form of canids and gradually eradicating it from dogs’ repertoire.

Description
Keywords
Journal Title
Communications Biology
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
2399-3642
2399-3642
Volume Title
Publisher
Nature Research