Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions
Abstract In the present study we investigated the influence of positive and negative arousal situations and the presence of an audience on dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions. We exposed dogs to positive anticipation, non-social frustration and social frustration evoking test sessions...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13566-7 |
| _version_ | 1811343436245106688 |
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| author | Giulia Pedretti Chiara Canori Sarah Marshall-Pescini Rupert Palme Annalisa Pelosi Paola Valsecchi |
| author_facet | Giulia Pedretti Chiara Canori Sarah Marshall-Pescini Rupert Palme Annalisa Pelosi Paola Valsecchi |
| author_sort | Giulia Pedretti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In the present study we investigated the influence of positive and negative arousal situations and the presence of an audience on dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions. We exposed dogs to positive anticipation, non-social frustration and social frustration evoking test sessions and measured pre and post-test salivary cortisol concentrations. Cortisol concentration did not increase during the tests and there was no difference in pre or post-test concentrations in the different test conditions, excluding a different level of arousal. Displacement behaviours of “looking away” and “sniffing the environment” occurred more in the frustration-evoking situations compared to the positive anticipation and were correlated with cortisol concentrations. “Ears forward” occurred more in the positive anticipation condition compared to the frustration-evoking conditions, was positively influenced by the presence of an audience, and negatively correlated to the pre-test cortisol concentrations, suggesting it may be a good indicator of dogs’ level of attention. “Ears flattener”, “blink”, “nose lick”, “tail wagging” and “whining” were associated with the presence of an audience but were not correlated to cortisol concentrations, suggesting a communicative component of these visual displays. These findings are a first step to systematically test which subtle cues could be considered communicative signals in domestic dogs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:29:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca5f5926c82e43808ea6bf74760c9a6d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:29:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca5f5926c82e43808ea6bf74760c9a6d2022-12-22T02:33:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-06-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-13566-7Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressionsGiulia Pedretti0Chiara Canori1Sarah Marshall-Pescini2Rupert Palme3Annalisa Pelosi4Paola Valsecchi5Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaDepartment of Chemistry, Life Science and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaDomestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary MedicineUnit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Chemistry, Life Science and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaAbstract In the present study we investigated the influence of positive and negative arousal situations and the presence of an audience on dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions. We exposed dogs to positive anticipation, non-social frustration and social frustration evoking test sessions and measured pre and post-test salivary cortisol concentrations. Cortisol concentration did not increase during the tests and there was no difference in pre or post-test concentrations in the different test conditions, excluding a different level of arousal. Displacement behaviours of “looking away” and “sniffing the environment” occurred more in the frustration-evoking situations compared to the positive anticipation and were correlated with cortisol concentrations. “Ears forward” occurred more in the positive anticipation condition compared to the frustration-evoking conditions, was positively influenced by the presence of an audience, and negatively correlated to the pre-test cortisol concentrations, suggesting it may be a good indicator of dogs’ level of attention. “Ears flattener”, “blink”, “nose lick”, “tail wagging” and “whining” were associated with the presence of an audience but were not correlated to cortisol concentrations, suggesting a communicative component of these visual displays. These findings are a first step to systematically test which subtle cues could be considered communicative signals in domestic dogs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13566-7 |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Pedretti Chiara Canori Sarah Marshall-Pescini Rupert Palme Annalisa Pelosi Paola Valsecchi Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions Scientific Reports |
| title | Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| title_full | Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| title_fullStr | Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| title_short | Audience effect on domestic dogs’ behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| title_sort | audience effect on domestic dogs behavioural displays and facial expressions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13566-7 |
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