A loving, consistent upbringing with very clear messages

Biologist Gela Preisfeld on 'man's best friend' for World Dog Day

It's that time again on 10 October. Friends of furry friends will be celebrating International World Dog Day. According to the German Pet Trade and Industry Association (ZZF), 10.5 million dogs live in private households in Germany. Reason enough to ask Gela Preisfeld, Professor of Zoology and Biology Didactics at the University of Wuppertal, how the human-animal relationship has developed over the course of time.

15000 years of partnership

Around 15,000 years ago, in the Stone Age, this partnership developed from the grey wolf(Canis lupus), explains Preisfeld. "Our dog is scientifically called Canis lupus familiaris and is therefore a subspecies. It is assumed that the relationship between humans and wolves developed very selectively for certain skills, such as hunting, herding and protection, but we must not only look at domestication, i.e. the adaptation of the wolf to humans, which at some point became the dog, but we must also consider how this could have come about in the first place, because humans and wolves did not exactly live together peacefully, but in any case also in competition." So there must have been some kind of evolutionary advantage for both species. "There is a whole range of hypotheses," explains the biologist. "The most important thing is that humans and wolves have a very similar food spectrum. Both are omnivores. People back then hunted a lot and a wolf hunts too. You could imagine that the wolves followed the humans, perhaps picking up the remains of the human hunt, and the humans in turn realised at some point that if the wolves followed them, other enemies would be deterred." At some point, the humans then raised the wolf pups, and this could be interpreted as the beginning of dog evolution. "Another reason why it was possible for wolves to join humans could be that wolves are pack animals - they need leaders! After all, dogs do too, and the dog (formerly the wolf) accepts humans as leaders."

All dogs descend from the wolf

According to the largest canine umbrella organisation, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), there are over 340 recognised dog breeds, all of which are descended from wolves. "Yes, that's true and there are also exciting studies on this," says the expert. The mitochondrial DNA, which is passed on exclusively via the mother, has been analysed from various domestic dogs, coyotes, wolves and jackals. The result was that coyotes and jackals are outside the family tree of all the domestic dogs analysed and originated much earlier." To be on the safe side, the Y chromosomes, which are only passed on by the males, were also analysed. Both analyses came to the same conclusion: "The dog is clearly descended from the wolf."

When the domesticated pet becomes an international problem

There are around 500 million dogs worldwide, 75% of which live in the wild. India leads the way with 30 million free-roaming dogs. This is where domesticated pets become a problem. "This multi-layered problem requires action in various areas," says the scientist, "both on the animals themselves, but also on human interaction with them in terms of training, education and, of course, prevention. One very good measure is the CNVR programme (a CNVR programme stands for "Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return" and is a humane method of controlling populations of stray dogs and cats, improving their health and preventing rabies, editor's note). In this way, the number of strays can be reduced in the long term. Vaccination is also part of the programme to contain diseases. The purpose of these programmes is to make the animals healthier and improve their well-being. The associated education of owners should lead to people treating their animals responsibly and not simply abandoning them somewhere."

The dog, a never judgemental being

Hunting, herding and protecting are the one characteristic that humans have utilised. But we also value another, very simple ability. "We value the companion and friend in everyday life," says Preisfeld, emphasising the essential characteristic of the animal. "Dogs don't judge. They are said to be unconditionally loyal and they understand some of our emotional states. They are empathetic and it is assumed that these characteristics are now innate, that they have been manifested in this way through breeding, i.e. a product of co-evolution, of the long coexistence between humans and dogs. And these characteristics also make it possible for animals to be used for therapeutic purposes or in animal-assisted education in schools, because we know that they bring more calm and balance to classes."

Dogs perceive pain in their owners

Preisfeld cites a study from Hungary, which found that dogs can obviously sense pain in their owners. They pick up on this via human language. "The dogs were sent through an MRI and it was found that they have very similar areas in a similar place in the brain for language processing as we do. It was then discovered that they become active when the owner's language is associated with an emotional content. And just like us, they react to the emotional tone of the language. Unlike us, dogs only need several inputs. They need the content, the emphasis and the melody in the language and then they can understand very well what we want, just a little slower. We humans understand about 4 to 6 syllables per second, a dog rather only 3 syllables. So it helps if you speak a little slower."

And then there's the nose ...

Dogs have special characteristics that humans also utilise, for example they smell much better. "Dogs are nasal animals," says Preisfeld, "this is the most important organ for them. They use it to sense their environment, find food, track down their partner and recognise danger. This is because they have many more olfactory cells. Sheepdogs have over 220 million olfactory cells and we humans have around 10 million. In addition, dogs have a different breathing rhythm. When sniffing, they can sniff 300 times a minute, the nostrils then quiver and they pick up various odours. They then pass these on to the olfactory centre, where they are processed." There is also a much more interesting organ, the so-called Jacobsen organ, a small opening on the palate. "Behind the incisors, the palate is connected to the nose. This Jacobsen organ primarily senses pheromones, but also other substances. The special thing is that the dog doesn't actually smell them, but picks up any traces with its tongue - you know this from every walk when the dog licks whatever - and these then go directly to the Jacobsen organ via the tubules behind the incisors and are transmitted from there to the brain without going through the nose. This allows dogs to directly perceive information about sexual partners or enemies. Scents that we humans secrete also reach the brain via this organ."

Dog body language or how to read a dog

Dogs have their own body language that humans must be prepared to read. And it's not just the tail that plays an important role. "The dog's entire behavioural repertoire is a product of the co-evolution of dogs and humans," says Preisfeld. In addition to tail wagging, there are also facial expressions, ear position and posture in general. Tail wagging is not only a positive thing. "If the dog is tense and the tail is stretched more horizontally, then that means insecurity and fear or even aggression, and you have to learn to read that. Dogs are very good at expressing emotions and intentions. We are all familiar with the so-called dog's gaze, these eyebrow movements that awaken the protective instinct in us. The context in which the dog is in is crucial. The ears are an important part of dog communication. When the dog sniffs something, the ears are directed forwards, i.e. they are very attentive. If they are pointing to the side or back, they are often nervous or unsure and can't assess a situation very well." And then the overall posture plays a role. A tense body, a raised head and forward-positioned ears indicate attention and curiosity. "This is always a good time to teach him something. And then he still has signals to avoid conflict, so he yawns or looks away or throws himself on his back."

A perfect dog day

10 October is International World Dog Day. What does a perfect day for a dog look like? "I think it should start with a nice morning walk," says Preisfeld, "followed by a healthy meal, then play or other challenges, because dogs want to be kept busy. A second walk, a short one at lunchtime and a longer one in the evening, always with play and exercise opportunities that are essential for the dog. And for a dog to be able to move freely where it is allowed to, it is important that it is very well trained so that it also listens. This is a basic prerequisite for running free and requires loving, consistent training and very clear instructions."

Gourmet cuisine from the pet trade

In the past, dogs were often given scraps, but today the dog food industry is booming with a wide variety of products. The scientist comments: "We know from research that dogs are omnivores, both plant and meat-based diets are suitable for a healthy diet as long as they contain all the necessary nutrients, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, etc. There are many studies that show that dogs can be fed a healthy diet. There are many studies that show that even a purely plant-based diet is good and that dogs are often healthier and do not suffer as much and as quickly from osteoarthritis and joint problems. The important thing here is the balance of nutrients, regardless of the protein source, whether it is animal or plant-based." You also have to pay attention to the individual tolerances of the dog; some animals, for example, do not tolerate wheat. It is important to have a feeding plan that uses similar food with slight variations. Many dogs also like fruit. "Then there is barfing, i.e. raw feeding, which you can also do, but you should always use high-quality meat and pay attention to the hygiene regulations, otherwise there is a risk of parasites. I think the whole range that you can buy in the supermarket or pet shop would certainly not be necessary."

A friend from abroad?

In addition to pedigree dogs from breeders, many dog owners take in animals from foreign animal welfare organisations. However, they also bring diseases with them that we don't have here. "That's a difficult topic," Preisfeld admits frankly. "Abroad, the dogs live in unspeakably poor conditions and are often killed quite brutally. We don't want that here and are therefore inclined to get animals from such animal welfare organisations. That's fine as long as a few things are observed. The organisations must be reputable, must guarantee vaccination protection, the dogs must have been tested for rabies and e.g. "Mediterranean diseases" such as leishmaniasis, chipped and only come to Germany after a quarantine, where they are placed in a stable new home after a further quarantine. If a disease does develop, the new owner must arrange everything else in close consultation with the vet."

Bonding hormone unites humans and animals

"A dog is man's best friend" is a phrase that was first used by Emperor Frederick the Great in the 18th century. Where does this loyalty to humans come from? "The dog's loyalty results from this mutual emotional connection," concludes the biologist. "It doesn't just go from dog to human, but also from human to dog. There is research into both the biological and behavioural basis of this special relationship. Dogs have adapted to humans in the course of domestication and also show a special orientation towards the human caregiver with whom they live. However, it appears that dogs develop a genuine emotional relationship with humans that is based on something like mutual appreciation and is not entirely one-sided in the fulfilment of human needs." Psychological studies that have been carried out with humans and dogs have shown the release of the hormone oxytocin: "This is the so-called bonding hormone. It is released at birth, for example, and influences social interactions and emotional development. It has a stress-regulating effect, lowers cortisol levels and reduces blood pressure. It is released in humans and dogs by looking at and touching each other, which promotes mutual affection."

Uwe Blass

Professor Dr Gela Preisfeld studied, obtained her doctorate and habilitated at Bielefeld University. After short research stays in Australia and a temporary position at the Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main, she accepted a professorship in Biology and its Didactics, Zoology at the University of Wuppertal in 2006.