Breed differences in an extinction task in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)

JAKOVCEVIC, A.; ELGIER, A.M.; BARRERA, G.; BENTOSELA, M.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 14th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Comparative Psychology; 2008

International Society for Comparative Psychology

The effect of breed on the extinction of a communicative response in domestic dogs was investigated. 43 pet dogs were distributed in 6 breed groups: Sheepdogs, Pinschers, Scent hounds, Pointers, Retrievers and Companion dogs, following FCI classification based on the historical function of the breed. Dogs were reinforced with food when they gazed to the human´s face in a situation in which food was visible but out of its reach. The procedure involved 3 acquisition and 3 extinction trials. Accumulated duration of gazing at a human face was measured. ANOVA and non parametric tests were used. An increase of gaze response through acquisition trials and a decrease during extinction trials were observed. An analysis with the 3 groups that showed most extreme responses indicated that, Retrievers gazed significantly more than Sheepdogs during all extinction trials and more than Companion in the last extinction trial. The frustration effect, evaluated as the initial increase of response during extinction, was also significantly higher for Retrievers. Moreover, differences in the behavioural pattern during extinction between these 3 groups were observed. This results show a higher resistance to extinction in Retrievers. These are the first evidences of breed differences in the frustration response in dogs.