Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Social Bonding in Dogs (Synopsis by Jacob Butterfield) - Coggle Diagram
Social Bonding in Dogs (Synopsis by Jacob Butterfield)
Background
Recent findings show that Oxytocin (OT) regulates many forms of social behavior in animals. Besides the process of mating, this also regulates behaviors in non-reproductive context. The compound can be excreted by dogs when engaging with their owners. (Romero et al 2014)
Results
Oxytocin and affiliation
Though base OT levels can vary, individuals urinary OT values in the two sessions are greatly correlated. There is an indication that endogenous OT can crucially moderate exogenous OT. (Romero et al. 2014)
Affiliation with owners
Despite owners being instructed to ignore the dogs, dogs that underwent OT administration showed more affiliation towards there owners than after the administration of the saline solution. (Romero et al. 2014)
affiliation with other dogs
After OT treatment dogs affiliated with there partner more than after saline treatment. The treatment was affected by the method of administration but not by sex, pretest, OT levels, or kinship. (Romero et al 2014)
Methods and Materials
Subjects
Sixteen dogs older than one year served as the subjects for this experiment. The group was comprised of nine standard poodles, four labradors, one German Shepard, one border collie, and one shetland sheep dog. All of these dogs were companion dogs that lived in human households. (Romero et al. 2014)
Experimental procedures
This experiment was conducted at Abazu Univeristy in Japan, within its research center. The only objects in the experiment room were a chair and a blanket. The testing consisted of two consecutive phases. The first phase involved moving the chair and blanket to different parts of the room every 10 minutes. The dog then had OT nasally administered. The second phase was similar to the first but lasted 60 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
Fluid sample collection
Blood samples were collected from five different dogs in a prior experiment. Urine samples were also collected. (Romero et al. 2014)
Measurments
heart rate
Dogs heart rate was measured using a Polar
RS800CX digital system device placed on the dogs' chests.(Romero et al 2014)
behavior
Affiliative behaviors of the dogs were measured with occurrence sampling. The proportion of affiliation was calculated as the total number of positive reciprocal behaviors divided by the total number of behaviors. (Romero et al. 2014)
OT measurments
Plasma and urinary OT measurements were taken with a radioimmunoassay procedure prior to this experiment. (Romero et al. 2014)
Discussion
The purpose of the study was to see if OT can be used to modulate social behaviors in domestic dogs. Considering the strength of the bond between a dog and its owner, it is only fair to contemplate the evolutionary significance of non-sexual bonding between organisms. (Romero et al 2014)
Citation
Romero T., Nagasawa M., Mogi K., Hasegawa T., Kikusui T. 2014. Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs.
Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. [Accessed 2024 April 10]
https://mycourses.spcollege.edu/content/enforced/291442-OFR_PCB4674_3128_0595/OT%20IN%20DOGS%20PNAS-2014-Romero-9085-90.pdf
Possible future test
Though the results of OT stimulation have been thoroughly observed in dogs and other mammals, it is a wonder what the effects of oxytocin could have on non-mammalian species such as reptiles and fish. This could provide some answers to how mammalian life and its complex nervous system evolved over time from other forms of life.