Ethology (CPDT-KA) Questions and
Answers.
Describe dog ancestry - Answer - Dogs branched off from the wolf anywhere between
80,000 - 130,000 years ago.
- They differ in 0.2% of mitochondrial DNA
- Dogs are classified as a subspecies of gray wolf.
All canine behavior can be categorized into one of the three motivations. What are these three
motivations? - Answer 1. Food acquisition (do it and I will feed you)
2. Hazard avoidance, safety/comfort seeking (do it and it will hurt)
3. Reproductive behaviors
Describe the food acquisition sequence - Answer 1. hear/see/smell
2. orient/stare/freeze
3. creep/stalk/run
4. grab/hold/shake
5. bring down
6. kill
7. dismember
8. eat
9. guard
What is a fixed action pattern? - Answer Innate (born knowing this). Specific trigger is
needed to start behavior. Once it has begun, it needs to go to completion before the animal
stops. Example: urination performed by a male dog is a major releasing stimulus. Can be
modified.
What is ontogenetic behavior? - Answer Behaviors that develop over a lifetime. This is
learned (not born knowing this) and can be modified.
Describe instinctive drift - the Breland Effect - Answer Animals will always drift towards
instinctive behavior over conditioned behavior even at the delay or loss of reinforcement. Also,
learned behaviors tend to drift towards instinctive behavior.
What is a critical period? - Answer A time in a animal's life when experience can have a
greater impact on development than other times in their lives. In dogs this is generally 3-16
weeks of age. Onset and closing of this window is breed specific.
Answers.
Describe dog ancestry - Answer - Dogs branched off from the wolf anywhere between
80,000 - 130,000 years ago.
- They differ in 0.2% of mitochondrial DNA
- Dogs are classified as a subspecies of gray wolf.
All canine behavior can be categorized into one of the three motivations. What are these three
motivations? - Answer 1. Food acquisition (do it and I will feed you)
2. Hazard avoidance, safety/comfort seeking (do it and it will hurt)
3. Reproductive behaviors
Describe the food acquisition sequence - Answer 1. hear/see/smell
2. orient/stare/freeze
3. creep/stalk/run
4. grab/hold/shake
5. bring down
6. kill
7. dismember
8. eat
9. guard
What is a fixed action pattern? - Answer Innate (born knowing this). Specific trigger is
needed to start behavior. Once it has begun, it needs to go to completion before the animal
stops. Example: urination performed by a male dog is a major releasing stimulus. Can be
modified.
What is ontogenetic behavior? - Answer Behaviors that develop over a lifetime. This is
learned (not born knowing this) and can be modified.
Describe instinctive drift - the Breland Effect - Answer Animals will always drift towards
instinctive behavior over conditioned behavior even at the delay or loss of reinforcement. Also,
learned behaviors tend to drift towards instinctive behavior.
What is a critical period? - Answer A time in a animal's life when experience can have a
greater impact on development than other times in their lives. In dogs this is generally 3-16
weeks of age. Onset and closing of this window is breed specific.
