How does oxytocin administration affect gazing behavior in Retriever dogs?

DZIK, M.V.; CAVALLI, C.; BARRERA G.; BENTOSELA M.

Congreso; Animal Behaviour Society Twitter Conference; 2021

Oxytocin (OT) is a hormone known to be involved in dog-human interactions. For instance, OT administration increased gazing at the human face in mixed breed pet and shelter dogs during a communicative task. However, differential effects of this hormone have been reported according to the breed of the dogs. The aim was to evaluate the effects of intranasal administration of 16 IU of OT on gazing to the human face in Golden and Labrador Retrievers. During the acquisition phase of the task dogs were given food each time they gazed at the human face, while gazing was not reinforced on the extinction phase. Results indicate that dogs who received OT gazed more during extinction than those who received saline, but this effect was only seen in gonadally intact dogs. This suggests an interaction between OT effects and neutering status in these breeds. These findings highlight the importance of considering these factors when studying the mechanisms underlying dog-human interactions.