Nicole R. Dorey, Monique A.R. Udell, Clive D.L. Wynne
Breed differences in dogs sensitivity to human points: A
meta-analysis
Behavioural Processes, Volume 81, Issue 3, July 2009, Pages
409–415
Abstract
The last decade has seen a substantial
increase in research on the behavioral and cognitive abilities of pet dogs, Canis familiaris. The most commonly used
experimental paradigm is the object-choice task in which a dog is given a
choice of two containers and guided to the reinforced object by human pointing
gestures. We review here studies of this type and attempt a meta-analysis of
the available data. In the meta-analysis breeds of dogs were grouped into the
eight categories of the American Kennel Club, and into four clusters identified
by Parker and Ostrander [Parker, H.G., Ostrander, E.A., 2005. Canine genomics
and genetics: running with the pack. PLoS Genet. 1, 507–513] on the basis of a
genetic analysis. No differences in performance between breeds categorized in
either fashion were identified. Rather, all dog breeds appear to be similarly
and highly successful in following human points to locate desired food. We
suggest this result could be due to the paucity of data available in published
studies, and the restricted range of breeds tested.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.