Life experience rather than domestication accounts for dogs' increased oxytocin release during social contact with humans.

ABSTRACT: Dogs' increased human-directed sociability compared to wolves may be the result of increased oxytocin system activity and decreased stress responses, but comparative studies accounting for life experience are lacking. We compared hand-raised, pack-living wolves' and dogs' behavior and hormone concentrations after interacting with a closely bonded and a familiar human. Both preferred the bonded partner, but dogs showed less variability in human-directed sociability than wolves. Physical contact was not associated with oxytocin but correlated positively with glucocorticoids in the pack-living animals when the human was not bonded. To clarify the role of life experience, we tested pet dogs and found that oxytocin concentrations correlated positively with physical contact with their owners, wh

SUBMITTER: Wirobski G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8277847 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature