Growing Body of Evidence
Posted by Bette Hanson on Friday, March 12, 2010
Under: Training & Behavior
Animal science and behavior just added another 'Aha!' moment to what dog owners around the world already knew.
According to an article on news.discovery.com; "a study, accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior, presents the first experimental indication that domestic dogs rely on context-dependent signals when they growl at each other."
To some degree any pet owner who has heard their dog's low grumble at hearing an unfamiliar noise understands the difference in context between the menacing "Get away from my bone" snarl, and the gripping and playful "Toy. More Toy. Throw Toy. Please?" often accompanied by the cock of the head.
Indeed, my dog Sascha has several distinctive growls. She's particularly convincing with her insistent "Time to go for a walk. Now" rumble. Then there's the higher-pitched gnarly-yips when she tackles, grips and catches her prey in the form of a weathered, leather soccer ball. Or the low pitched, playful moans when anyone scratches her backside accompanying her trademark move; the shoulder-drop-happy-butt-dance, designed to make every human smile who witnesses the playful scene. My favorite? The pleasurably loud moaning grunts she makes when mussing up my couch/bed/comfy chair in an instinctual attempt to nest. That noise will forever be delightfully embedded in my brain, long after she leaves this earth. Sigh.
What we as owners witness with our pets behavior can best be described as more ethological than empirical. Ethology is the scientific and objective study of animal behavior. Behaviorism and ethology are two different ways of studying animals; one is largely confined to the laboratory and the other is based on field studies.
The discerning pet owner who reads Whole Dog Journal is familiar with trainer Pat Miller's behavioral insights: "bored dogs are far more likely to engage in behaviors that...are not the sort of things that will please you." Pat always amazes and impresses me with her common-sense ethological analysis of animal behaviors and her positive reinforcement training methods, which help create animal/human bonds.
The study concludes that the findings add to the "growing body of evidence that animal calls are far more complex than previously thought." Growing body of evidence, huh. Hmmmmmm. Not to me. But hey, they didn't ask me.
According to an article on news.discovery.com; "a study, accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior, presents the first experimental indication that domestic dogs rely on context-dependent signals when they growl at each other."
To some degree any pet owner who has heard their dog's low grumble at hearing an unfamiliar noise understands the difference in context between the menacing "Get away from my bone" snarl, and the gripping and playful "Toy. More Toy. Throw Toy. Please?" often accompanied by the cock of the head.
Indeed, my dog Sascha has several distinctive growls. She's particularly convincing with her insistent "Time to go for a walk. Now" rumble. Then there's the higher-pitched gnarly-yips when she tackles, grips and catches her prey in the form of a weathered, leather soccer ball. Or the low pitched, playful moans when anyone scratches her backside accompanying her trademark move; the shoulder-drop-happy-butt-dance, designed to make every human smile who witnesses the playful scene. My favorite? The pleasurably loud moaning grunts she makes when mussing up my couch/bed/comfy chair in an instinctual attempt to nest. That noise will forever be delightfully embedded in my brain, long after she leaves this earth. Sigh.
What we as owners witness with our pets behavior can best be described as more ethological than empirical. Ethology is the scientific and objective study of animal behavior. Behaviorism and ethology are two different ways of studying animals; one is largely confined to the laboratory and the other is based on field studies.
The discerning pet owner who reads Whole Dog Journal is familiar with trainer Pat Miller's behavioral insights: "bored dogs are far more likely to engage in behaviors that...are not the sort of things that will please you." Pat always amazes and impresses me with her common-sense ethological analysis of animal behaviors and her positive reinforcement training methods, which help create animal/human bonds.
The study concludes that the findings add to the "growing body of evidence that animal calls are far more complex than previously thought." Growing body of evidence, huh. Hmmmmmm. Not to me. But hey, they didn't ask me.
In : Training & Behavior
Tags: dogs communicate behavior
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Bette Hanson is a former executive, writer & producer with a background working for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Animal Planet, HGTV, Discovery Education and others. After her dog, Frank, developed a terminal illness in the late 90s, she immersed herself in holistic pet care and quickly developed a passion for animal advocacy. In 2004, she founded the Natural Pet Expo, bringing together experts & resources on animal wellness to educate & inform pet caretakers. Sascha, a spunky and spirited English Shepherd, joins Bette on her journey.
