Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden suggest that dog domestication may be undergoing a third phase. This process is driven by the human search for pets that are calmer, more sociable and better adapted to a more sedentary lifestyle. This thesis was published by newspapers. daily mail my The Globe.
A few decades ago, dogs were widely valued for their working skills, such as hunting vermin, herding livestock, and protecting property. However, today, the emotional bond and companionship they provide has become a high priority for owners.
This change was studied by researchers who found that over time, levels of oxytocin (the hormone responsible for social bonding) increased in dogs, especially those trained as service dogs. Oxytocin, according to scientists, encourages dogs to bond with their owners.
Since humans domesticated wolves and turned them into the pets we know today, researchers suggest that dogs have become more sensitive to oxytocin. A 2017 study explored how dogs have developed unique skills for working with humans, such as a willingness to “ask for help” when faced with difficult problems.
The hypothesis is that hormones played an important role in this evolution because it affects social relationships. Oxytocin activity varies depending on the hormone's ability to bind to cellular receptors.
Previous studies have revealed that genetic variation near the gene that codes for these receptors affects dogs' ability to communicate. Thus, social skills in dogs have a genetic basis, influenced by genes related to oxytocin.
In experiments with 60 golden retrievers, scientists observed these dogs trying to open a treat jar with a non-removable lid. The team timed how long it took for the dogs to ask their owners for help after they tried to open the jar on their own. People with a specific genetic variant in the oxytocin receptor had a stronger reaction to the hormone spray, making them more likely to seek help.
The findings indicate that domestication had an effect on the genes that control dogs' social skills. For experts Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, this behavioral change in dogs can be seen as the third wave of domestication.
Over time, the role of dogs in human life changed from workers to companions, and this may have affected the biology of these animals as well. Hare, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, and Woods, director of Puppy Kindergarten, noted that service dogs have adapted very well to the modern world.
These dogs are trained to help their owners with various tasks and have a calm and friendly demeanor. “Unlike most domestic dogs, service dogs are as attracted to strangers as puppies,” the couple wrote in The Atlantic. They also noted that the rise of service dog companionship is changing their biology, just as it did thousands of years ago.
This situation of improvement in breeding has even changed expectations about living with dogs. While dogs once spent more time outdoors, today this shift reflects a greater need for animals to adapt to domestic environments and urban practices, Hare and Woods note.
