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4 - Evolution of working dogs

from PART I - ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 December 2016

By
Kathryn Lord ,
Richard A. Schneider  and
Raymond Coppinger
Edited by
James Serpell
Kathryn Lord
Affiliation:
School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA
Richard A. Schneider
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA
Raymond Coppinger
Affiliation:
School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, MA, USA
James Serpell
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania
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Summary

Introduction

When we think of dogs, we tend to think of animals that were selected for behavior performed in the service of people. Dogs pull sleds, guard property, herd sheep, guide the blind, track and retrieve game, and so on. We also think of dogs in terms of breeds, and often try to identify the breeds that make up some mongrel, as if all dogs had unadulterated, purebred ancestry. Many see their favorite breed woven into the Bayeux Tapestry or carved into the walls of an ancient tomb. Some think of breeds as if they were ancient species, separately derived from different strains of wolves, jackals or even coyotes. And people are often amazed at the many different sizes, colors, shapes, faces, and behaviors dogs come in.

Dogs’ practical service to people is frequently overstated. Of the billion or so dogs in the world, only a tiny percentage of them work or hunt. Pure breeds of dogs for the most part are modern inventions (Larson et al., 2012).

Frequently it is stated that the breeds were “selected” to perform some specific behavior, implying that changes have come about through a gradual accumulation of traits, by a process similar to natural selection. Darwin (1858) used domestic animals as an example of “artificial” selection analogous to natural selection. However, discoveries in the last hundred years have suggested other evolutionary mechanisms underlying the morphological and behavioral conformation of domesticated animals.

This chapter distils our observations and experiments on the subject of breed-specific behavior. It is divided into two sections. Section 4.2 focuses on the functional morphology and behavior of three “types” of working dogs. First are the livestock guarding dogs, which evolved in pastoral societies, where the only selection by humans is for behavior designed to repel or eliminate animals they don't like. Second are the sled dogs, which are bred to pull. Any animal can be taught to pull, but in sled dogs there is intense selection for a superior conformation that can efficiently perform the task. Third are the livestock herding dogs, bred to conduct livestock. There is little selection for physical conformation in herding dogs, but rather intense selection for a behavioral conformation including attention to the quality, frequency, and sequencing of specific motor patterns.

Type
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The Domestic Dog
Its Evolution, Behavior and Interactions with People
 , pp. 42 - 66
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2016

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  • Evolution of working dogs
    • By Kathryn Lord, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA, Richard A. Schneider, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA, Raymond Coppinger, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, MA, USA
  • Edited by James Serpell, University of Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Domestic Dog
  • Online publication: 30 December 2016
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139161800.004
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  • Evolution of working dogs
    • By Kathryn Lord, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA, Richard A. Schneider, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA, Raymond Coppinger, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, MA, USA
  • Edited by James Serpell, University of Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Domestic Dog
  • Online publication: 30 December 2016
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139161800.004
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  • Evolution of working dogs
    • By Kathryn Lord, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA, Richard A. Schneider, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA, Raymond Coppinger, School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, MA, USA
  • Edited by James Serpell, University of Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Domestic Dog
  • Online publication: 30 December 2016
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139161800.004
Available formats
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