How does dominance rank status affect individual and social learning performance in the dog (Canis familiaris)?

Abstract

Dogs can learn effectively to detour around a V-shaped fence after observing a demonstration from either an unfamiliar human or dog demonstrator. We found earlier that there is substantial individual variation between the dogs' performance, even when using the same experimental conditions. Here, we investigate if the subjects' relative dominance rank with other dogs had an effect on their social learning performance. On the basis of the owners' answers to a questionnaire, subjects from multi-dog homes were sorted into groups of dominant and subordinate dogs. In Experiment 1, dominant and subordinate dogs were tested without demonstration and we did not find any difference between the groups--they had similarly low detour performances on their own. In Experiment 2 and 3, dogs from single dog and multi-dog households were tested in the detour task with demonstration by an unfamiliar dog, or human, respectively. The results showed that social learning performance of the single dogs fell between the dominant and subordinate multi-dogs with both dog and human demonstration. Subordinate dogs displayed significantly better performance after having observed a dog demonstrator in comparison to dominant dogs. In contrast, the performance of dominant and subordinate dogs was almost similar, when they observed a human demonstrator. These results suggest that perceived dominance rank in its own group has a strong effect on social learning in dogs, but this effect seems to depend also on the demonstrator species. This finding reveals an intricate organization of the social structure in multi-dog households, which can contribute to individual differences existing among dogs.

Importance of a species’ socioecology: Wolves outperform dogs in a conspecific cooperation task

“…In the Two-apparatus condition, the coordination between partners is particularly important; therefore, it is possible that animals closer in rank paid closer attention to one another compared with partners in dyads with larger rank distances. Indeed studies in dogs suggest that subordinates will learn a task from a dominant more readily than vice versa (48), and in rhesus macaques, gaze-following has been observed to be more likely to occur the closer the rank distance between partners (49). Future studies will be needed to test this hypothesis further.…”

“Do not choose as I do!” – Dogs avoid the food that is indicated by another dog's gaze in a two-object choice task

“…In chimpanzees for example, subordinate members adjust their food-choice to the visual information of a dominant member, and prefer the food that the dominant member cannot see (Hare et al, 2000). In the case of dogs, Pongrácz et al (2008) found that the perceived dominance status of dogs had an effect on dogs' social learning in a detour task, also depending on the demonstrator species. Subordinate dogs showed significantly better performance after having observed a dog demonstrator in comparison to dominant dogs, which difference could not be Page 10 of 47 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t detected if the dogs saw a human as the demonstrator.…”

“…Subordinate dogs showed significantly better performance after having observed a dog demonstrator in comparison to dominant dogs, which difference could not be Page 10 of 47 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t detected if the dogs saw a human as the demonstrator. We assessed the 'dominance' status of those subjects that lived in a household with other dogs by means of a questionnaire developed by Pongrácz et al (2008) in the aforementioned experiment.…”

“…It is only applicable for dogs that live together with at least one other dog, since the questionnaire assessed the social relationship between cohabitant dogs. The questionnaire consisted of four questions (see in details inPongrácz et al, 2008). The dog was considered as 'dominant' if (a) it usually won the fights/play fights, (b) barked more/approached the door earlier if a stranger arrived, (c) took away/was able to take away the food of the other(s) and (d) it's mouth was licked (or Page 16 of 47…”

“…By means of a questionnaire, developed byPongrácz et al (2008), we assessed the subject dogs' 'dominance' rank, according to the owners' experience. It is only applicable for dogs that live together with at least one other dog, since the questionnaire assessed the social relationship between cohabitant dogs.…”