Are Dogs Social Generalists? Canine Social Cognition, Attachment, and the Dog-Human Bond

• Published in: Current Directions in Psychological Science
• Main Authors: Udell, Monique A. R., Brubaker, Lauren
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2016
• Subjects: Canis lupus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721416662647; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0963721416662647; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0963721416662647

Reports of variability in the social behavior of the domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) are common across populations, breeds, and individuals. This has often been considered a challenge for characterizing the nature and origins of the domestic dog’s social cognition. Here, we propose that this variability might be explained by social plasticity, a trait that could contribute to the success of the domestic dog and facilitate the dog-human bond. Additional research specifically aimed at investigating population and individual variation in canine social behavior, such as attachment-style research, may provide important insight into domestic dogs’ biological success, as well as knowledge that could benefit both dogs and humans in a wide range of applied settings.