Volume 125, April 2016, Pages 96–100
- a Senshu University, Japan
- b Jichi Medical University, Japan
- c Azabu University, Japan
- Received 3 August 2015, Revised 24 January 2016, Accepted 19 February 2016, Available online 23 February 2016
Highlights
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- Dogs attention-getting behaviors increase when confronted by owners direct gazes.
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- Dogs are sensitive to human gazes, and this may act as an attachment signal.
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- This may contribute to close relationships between humans and dogs.
Abstract
This
study examined whether dogs gain information about human’s attention
via their gazes and whether they change their attention-getting
behaviors (i.e., whining and whimpering, looking at their owners’ faces,
pawing, and approaching their owners) in response to their owners’
direct gazes. The results showed that when the owners gazed at their
dogs, the durations of whining and whimpering and looking at the owners’
faces were longer than when the owners averted their gazes. In
contrast, there were no differences in duration of pawing and likelihood
of approaching the owners between the direct and averted gaze
conditions. Therefore, owners’ direct gazes increased the behaviors that
acted as distant signals and did not necessarily involve touching the
owners. We suggest that dogs are sensitive to human gazes, and this
sensitivity may act as attachment signals to humans, and may contribute
to close relationships between humans and dogs.
Keywords
- Gaze;
- Attention;
- Dogs
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