Neophilia in wolves and dogs.

ABSTRACT: The study of domestication provides a unique opportunity to analyze the effects of natural selection in the attraction towards novelty, because selective pressures on domesticated animals are often greatly diminished or different from their wild counterparts. In this study, we investigated the neophilic levels of three groups of canids differing in their level of contact with human environments both from an evolutionary and ontogenetic perspective: wolves, pack-living dogs, and pet dogs. In order to study their neophilic response, we presented the animals with two objects. The first of these objects was displayed in the animals' enclosure for several days. After the animals were habituated to this first object, the second one was introduced together with the first one in a shorter test ses

SUBMITTER: Rivas-Blanco D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12672748 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature