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marketrent OP t1_j8fmqpv wrote

Findings in title quoted from the linked summary^1 and its hyperlinked journal paper^2 examining the call of the wild.

From the linked summary^1 released by Eötvös Loránd University:

>[Department of Ethology] researchers tested 68 purebred family dogs by playing back recordings of wolf howls and observing their reactions in a behavioural laboratory.

>To test the effect of the breed, the different breeds’ genetic similarity to wolves (so-called “root distance”) was used as a measure.

>“According to our results, breeds which are genetically more similar to wolves (“ancient breeds”), are more prone to reply with their own howls to wolf howl playbacks. On the other hand, breeds more distantly related to wolves (“modern breeds”) typically reacted with barking instead of howls.

>“It seems that although howling is present in most breeds’ repertoire, it lost its functionality due to the changed social environment, thus, modern breeds do not use it in adequate situations” - explains Fanni Lehoczki, the first author of the study.

>“Additionally, we found that breeds which howl more also show more stress-related behaviours in this situation. We assume that more ancient breeds, which are genetically closer to wolves, can process the information encoded in wolf howls better than modern breeds.

>“Thus, ancient breeds of our study might become stressed by intruding on a pack’s territory and use howling for the sake of avoidance, just as wolves do.” - says Tamás Faragó, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Ethology, ELTE and the senior author of the study.

^1 The wilderness is calling — will your dog answer?, Eötvös Loránd University, 6 Feb. 2023, https://ttk.elte.hu/en/content/the-wilderness-is-calling-will-your-dog-answer.t.6415

^2 F. Lehoczki, A. Andics, A. Kershenbaum, et al. Genetic distance from wolves affects family dogs’ reactions towards howls. Communications Biology 6, 129 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04450-9

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Fckdisaccnt t1_j8fuvah wrote

Replying to marketrent (#1,801,797)

>>“Additionally, we found that breeds which howl more also show more stress-related behaviours in this situation. We assume that more ancient breeds, which are genetically closer to wolves, can process the information encoded in wolf howls better than modern breeds.

So the hypothesis is that these dogs are more stressed out by wolf howls because they understand what they are saying?

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TheOwlOnMyPorch t1_j8fvuzy wrote

My pug learned to howl as a baby from a husky that lived next door, now she and my other pup will start up with the slightest invitation.

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YggdrasilsLeaf t1_j8fvwut wrote

Did you know that most modern dog breeds don’t actually come from ancient wolf breeds? More so they come from a canine offshoot that’s closer to prehistoric hyenas than actual wolves?

Funny how that works, eh?

−34

wrongseeds t1_j8fyj3j wrote

My Shiba doesn’t bark much. One night he was going crazy because there was a fox in the yard. It was so entranced that it almost came up on the porch. My dog was clearly singing the song of his people.

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Cinade t1_j8ga2pv wrote

How does this explain my terrier-chihuahua?

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New-Oil6131 t1_j8hjs8s wrote

Mine prefers alarms to howl, so don't know what evolution did there

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Anschluss11 t1_j8hrc81 wrote

Would there be some source for more info on what would be considered "ancient" vs "modern" breeds? It would be interesting to see at what time in the past certain breeds became "modern". I would say pugs fall under the modern ones, but would be really interested to learn more.

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K0stroun t1_j8hrzpr wrote

Anytime I play wolf howls for my German Pinscher, he starts howling as well. Don't other dogs do that?

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Merry-Lane t1_j8hv8cm wrote

Replying to Fckdisaccnt (#1,802,309)

The wolves howl to say : "whoever hears this, you are on our territory".

Dogs and wolves respect boundaries, and can be stressed simply at the idea of being on the territory that another dog/wolf claims.

Howls don’t have a meaning as in "a short yap followed by a long tremolo means hi". Maybe howls can have significances like wolves may howl a bit differently depending on their mood, the moon, a specific event or whatever. They may share this feeling through their howls, anyone (dogs, humans, animals,…) could maybe interpret specific howls and attribute vague meanings but…

No, dogs stress out because howling is claiming territory.

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ldnk t1_j8i4r9a wrote

Have a husky. He doesn't howl. He does whine though.

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SmarmyYardarm t1_j8jrnro wrote

My Maltese/Westie mix howls in her dreams sometimes. Long spooky howls. Cutest thing ever.

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BGgungame t1_j8jvorj wrote

Mine doesn't howl, but she is by no means an ancient breed, rather a mutt with a dash of terrier. She has however disgraced all her wolf ancestors by being catified by our cats.

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Horror_Scene4747 t1_j8k9drs wrote

I howled and my spitz also howled. I dunno how long it was (that's what she said), but he howled.

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rysworld t1_j8pdyrr wrote

Replying to SentientMeat777 (#1,807,288)

Something like more than 95% of the DNA of any given modern chihuahua is post-columbian. There was an ancient breed called a chihuahua, and then there was another breed later made to look kind of like them.

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