The relationship between functional breed selection and attachment pattern in family dogs (canis familiaris)

Adult dogs show similar behaviour pattern towards their owners as human infants caregivers among experimental conditions, where the attachment is activated because of moderately stressful situation. Meanwhile capacity to form owner considered part domestication history dogs, in more recent times were selected for often very different work-related behavioural phenotypes. For instance, ‘cooperative’ dog breeds, like shepherd typically work visual contact with handler, while ‘independent’ such hounds or sled independently. We investigated whether cooperative and non-cooperative working would also patterns behaviour. tested independent (N = 29) 28) from various breeds Strange Situation Test. To describe subjects’ behaviour, we used a scoring system three main factors (Attachment, Acceptance, Anxiety). did not find any significant between-group difference two types (Attachment: P 0.499; Anxiety 0.200; Acceptance 0.339). Within-breed differences may be stronger than between-breed this situation, it possible that handle differently. Our results support theory fundamentally feature socialized subsequent functional breed selection rather influence specific phenotypes dogs.