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Social Relationships & Dominance Research

Studies of Dominance in Dogs and Wolves Related reference: <a href="https://dogtraining.world/knowledge-base/david-mechs-explanation-of-the-term-alpha-in-wolf-packs/">Mech’s explanation of “alpha” terminology</a>.

Expression Studies on Wolves – Rudolph Schenkel, 1947 (and reference to the Mech “Alpha” debacle)

This is perhaps the most undermined study on canine ethology in existence and the epitome of the expression, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." "Expression Studies on Wolves" was a groundbreaking insight into…

Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs

Publication L. David Mech (1999). Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77: 1196–1203. Download article (PDF) Abstract The prevailing view of a wolf (Canis lupus) pack is that…

Leadership in Wolf, Canis lupus, Packs

Publication L. David Mech (2000). Leadership in Wolf, Canis lupus, Packs. Canadian Field-Naturalist 114(2): 259–263. Download article (PDF) Abstract I examine leadership in Wolf (Canis lupus) packs based on published observations and data gathered during summers…

Leadership Behavior in Relation to Dominance and Reproductive Status in Gray Wolves, Canis lupus

Publication Rolf O. Peterson, Amy K. Jacobs, Thomas D. Drummer, L. David Mech and Douglas W. Smith (2002). Leadership Behavior in Relation to Dominance and Reproductive Status in Gray Wolves, Canis lupus. Canadian Journal of Zoology…

Dominance in Relation to Age, Sex, and Competitive Contexts in a Group of Free-Ranging Domestic Dogs

Publication Simona Cafazzo, Paola Valsecchi, Roberto Bonanni and Eugenia Natoli (2010). Dominance in Relation to Age, Sex, and Competitive Contexts in a Group of Free-Ranging Domestic Dogs. Behavioral Ecology 21: 443–455. Original source (DOI) · Download…

Prolonged Intensive Dominance Behavior Between Gray Wolves, Canis lupus

Publication L. David Mech and H. Dean Cluff (2010). Prolonged Intensive Dominance Behavior Between Gray Wolves, Canis lupus. Canadian Field-Naturalist 124(3): 215–218. Download article (PDF) Abstract Dominance is one of the most pervasive and important behaviors…

Dominance in Domestic Dogs Revisited: Useful Habit and Useful Construct?

Source Matthijs B. H. Schilder, Claudia M. Vinke, and Joanne A. M. van der Borg (2014). Dominance in Domestic Dogs Revisited: Useful Habit and Useful Construct?. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 9, 184–191. Review article. Original publication…

Dominance in Domestic Dogs: A Quantitative Analysis of Its Behavioural Measures

Source Joanne A. M. van der Borg, Matthijs B. H. Schilder, Claudia M. Vinke, and Han de Vries (2015). Dominance in Domestic Dogs: A Quantitative Analysis of Its Behavioural Measures. PLOS ONE. 10(8), e0133978. Research article.…

Dominance Relationships in a Group of Domestic Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)

Publication Rebecca K. Trisko and Barbara B. Smuts (2015). Dominance Relationships in a Group of Domestic Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Behaviour. Original source (DOI) · Download article (PDF) Site summary In this study of 24 neutered…

Dominance Relationships in a Family Pack of Captive Arctic Wolves (Canis lupus arctos): The Influence of Competition for Food, Age and Sex

Publication Simona Cafazzo, Martina Lazzaroni and Sarah Marshall-Pescini (2016). Dominance Relationships in a Family Pack of Captive Arctic Wolves (Canis lupus arctos): The Influence of Competition for Food, Age and Sex. PeerJ 4: e2707. Original source…

In Wolves, Play Behaviour Reflects the Partners’ Affiliative and Dominance Relationship

Publication Simona Cafazzo, Sarah Marshall-Pescini, Jennifer L. Essler, Zsófia Virányi, Kurt Kotrschal and Friederike Range (2018). In Wolves, Play Behaviour Reflects the Partners' Affiliative and Dominance Relationship. Animal Behaviour 141: 137–150. Original source (DOI) · Download…

Dominance in Dogs as Rated by Owners Corresponds to Ethologically Valid Markers of Dominance

Source Enikő Kubinyi and Lisa J. Wallis (2019). Dominance in Dogs as Rated by Owners Corresponds to Ethologically Valid Markers of Dominance. PeerJ. 7, e6838. Research article. Original publication · Read the source PDF. Authors’ abstract…

Social Variables Affecting Mate Preferences, Copulation and Reproductive Outcome in a Pack of Free-Ranging Dogs

Publication Simona Cafazzo, Roberto Bonanni, Paola Valsecchi and Eugenia Natoli (2014). Social Variables Affecting Mate Preferences, Copulation and Reproductive Outcome in a Pack of Free-Ranging Dogs. PLoS ONE 9(6): e98594. Original source (DOI) · Download article…

Elevated Aggression is Associated with Uncertainty in a Network of Dog Dominance Interactions

Source Matthew J. Silk, Michael A. Cant, Simona Cafazzo, Eugenia Natoli, and Robbie A. McDonald (2019). Elevated Aggression is Associated with Uncertainty in a Network of Dog Dominance Interactions. Proc. R. Soc. B. 286, 20190536. Research…

Play Behavior in Wolves: Using the ‘50:50’ Rule to Test for Egalitarian Play Styles

Source Jennifer L. Essler, Simona Cafazzo, Sarah Marshall-Pescini, Zsófia Virányi, Kurt Kotrschal, and Friederike Range (2016). Play Behavior in Wolves: Using the ‘50:50’ Rule to Test for Egalitarian Play Styles. PLOS ONE. 11(5), e0154150. Research article.…

Partner preferences and asymmetries in social play among domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, littermates

Source Camille Ward, Erika B. Bauer, and Barbara B. Smuts (2008). Partner preferences and asymmetries in social play among domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, littermates. Animal Behaviour. article-in-press version. Research article. Original publication · Read the…

The Indispensable Dog, Clive D. L. Wynne

Publication Clive D. L. Wynne. The Indispensable Dog. Frontiers in Psychology 12:656529 (2021). [1] DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.656529 Author abstract Dogs’ remarkable success in living in a human-dominated world rests on a set of adaptations to cohabitation with…