ZsóWa Virányi · Márta Gácsi · Enikö Kubinyi ·

1. Comprehension of human pointing gestures in young human-reared wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canisfamiliaris) ZsóWaVirányi · MártaGácsi · EniköKubinyi · JózsefTopál · Beatrix Belényi · DorottyaUjfalussy · ÁdámMiklósi Presentation by Anne-Lise Nilsen February 13th 2014

2. Why study “pointing” in dogs and wolves? • To understand the domestication process • Understand to what degree dogs innately understand human behavior/gestures– are dogs “special” • Comparative approach is the only way to get answers, but must take appropriate measures • Chimpanzees have had difficulty on this task

3. Virayri et al.’s Goals • Design a study in which can determine whether or not dogs and wolves preform differently on the pointing gestures task when raised in comparable upbringings. • To see what aspects of wolf-human communication can be influenced either by hand-raising and extensive experience with humans or formal training in object-choice tasks. • Test the wolves thoroughly with various human pointing gestures.

4. Overview of Study • Study 1: comparing wolf and dog puppies in a two-way choice task with human distal pointing • Study 2: use of different human pointing gestures in young wolves • Study 3: longitudinal investigation on young wolves’ use of human cues • Study 4: comparing the wolves after extensive training and naïve dogs of same age in momentary distal pointing trials

5. Study 1: Comparing wolf and dog puppies in a two-way choice task with human distal pointing • Subjects: 26 four month old animals • Pretraining: familiarization with the room and materials • 2 bowls set up • experimenter showed subject the food and the baiting of one bowl • subject allowed to approach bowls • repeated 4 times prior to test session (both times)

6. Testing: 2 sessions of 10 trials, baiting bowls was randomized and counterbalanced • Same set up as pretraining • experimenter (kneeling) established eye contact with subject then pointed at correct bowl *hand was MORE than 50 cm from bowl* • hand placed back at chest • Dog/wolf released • Number of correct choices and latency of attending to experimenter was recorded

7. Results • Type of rearing dogs did not matter for these variables • Wolves preformed at chance level (# of correct choices) • Dogs preformed above chance level indicating they used the pointing gesture • Wolves took significantly longer to get/maintain eye contact

8. Study 2: Use of different human pointing gestures in young wolves • Subjects: 7 intensively and individually socialized wolf pups between the ages of 7-11 months

9. Pre- testing with momentary distal pointing gesture: like study 1, 20 trials, at 7 months old • Probe testing: each wolf was presented with 20 trials of all five cues presented in a predetermined semi-random order. Sessions were spaced out 1-3 weeks • Re-testing with momentary distal pointing gesture: like study 1, 20 trials, at 11 months old

11. Results

12. Results • None of the wolves preformed above chance on the pretest= wolves preform the same at 4 and 7 months • High interindividual variation between which cues elicited above chance performance • There was at least 1 wolf that performed above chance for DDP, MPP, T and SB. • There was no effect of session, but noticed that only 1wolf preformed above chance on first session, but 3 wolves did preform above chance on the last session = may indicate learning.

13. Study 3: Longitudinal investigation on young wolves’ use of human cues • Subjects: 4 intensively and individually socialized wolf pups. Testing began at 4.5 months and lasted until they were 11 months

14. Same general procedure as Study 1 • The 5 cues from study 2 were used in a predetermined order: • Momentary distal pointing standing behind  dynamic distal pointing  touching object  momentary proximal pointing • Each session consisted of 10 momentary distal pointing trials  10 trials of another cue from the 3rd session on. • * Standing and touching only received 40 trials due to all individuals achieving at least 15 correct choices in either the first or the last 2 sessions • Subjects were tested 22 times • Control trials: Experimenter gave no extra cue

15. Results

16. Results

17. Results

18. Results • Control trials: preformed at chance • 2 wolves followed all cues significantly above chance • All followed at least 3 cues significantly above chance. • As a whole the wolves’ group performance increased significantly over time but there was large individual variation. • Indicates that wolves can spontaneously follow some human gestures/learn to follow them.

19. Study 4: Comparing the wolves after extensive training and naïve dogs of same age in momentary distal pointing trials • Subjects: • 10 intensively and individually socialized wolves, 11 months old (4 male, 6 female) from study 2 and 3 (extensive training • 10 pet dogs, 11 months old, range of breeds no prior experimental experiences with human pointing gestures • Procedures: same as study 1

20. Results

21. Results • Dogs preform the same on both number correct and latency to maintain eye contact at 4 and 11 months. • Wolves and dogs preform at the same level at 11 months indicating that extensive training allows wolves to get to the same level as dogs without specific training.

22. General Discussion • Wolves can do this task but it takes extensive training • Dogs pick up the pointing gesture early on • Why this may be difficult for wolves… • Food-sharing is rare in wolf packs • The association that hand=food is only for short ranges therefore the tendency for dogs to make and maintain eye contact is extremely advantageous • Importance of intensively and individually rearing wolves for tests with humans • Current natural selection for avoidance of humans (opposite in dogs)

23. Critiques • Breed differences • Breeds used: Golden Retriever, Airedale Terrier, German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Pumi, Border Collie, Groenendael (Belgian Shepherd), Mixed, Labrador Retriever, Sheltie, Great Dane, Belgian Shepherd, Beagle • Don’t show the baiting in training or tests • 4 months still allow dogs significant time to learn the pointing gesture • 10 trials a session twice does give opportunity for learning… I want to see the trial by trial individual data like the wolves