Thanks for sharing this description! This does indeed sound like what you would expect when an attachment figure leaves and returns. The search behavior is very typical of separation distress and may occur even in the absence of vocalizations. There was also classic reunion behavior.
One thing to note is that dogs (and most species) can form attachment bonds with multiple individuals and this can begin to occur quite quickly (some have suggested in as little as 3 hours of total contact). Given you have worked with the dog before, your presence may have buffered some of the anxiety that the dog experienced with the director exited (the secure base effect), even though the absence still made a noticeable impact on behavior. It does sound like you have a setup where you could easily replicate the test individually with cameras though.
It is interesting that you bring up herding behavior, because there may be a link there that is still relatively unexplored at the moment. Often, we tend to think about the parts of herding behavior that are related to the predatory motor sequence (orient, eye, stalk, chase....ect.) but findings in a recent genetics paper may suggest that some aspects of herding motivation (at least in breeds like border collies) may be related to genes associated with "pup gathering" behavior.
Original genetics paper: Domestic Dog Lineages Reveal Genetic Drivers of Behavioral Diversification (Dutrow et al., 2022)
More research is needed to fully understand this connection- but this is not the first time a link has been discovered between predatory motor patterns and social cognition. In fact, we published a paper a while back that demonstrated that predatory motor pattern composition was a strong predictor of performance on human-guided tasks.
These unexpected connections are part of what makes the science of dog behavior so interesting and important!
Original Message:
Sent: 11-09-2023 08:38 AM
From: Eudora Watson
Subject: Maddie's Insights webcast April 13, 2023: Becoming a Secure Base: Using science to improve human-animal bonds and welfare
This information confirms much of what I believe works best with shelter dogs - be consistent, have high expectations, forming bonds with a dog will help them form other bonds.
When I watched the video I was left thinking that there was no way to replicate the conditions at my shelter - leaving the dog in an unfamiliar room and observing their behavior alone and again when the person comes back into the room. However, that very day I was able to replicate them in part, although with some key differences.
What I saw makes me wonder if the behavior I saw could be attributed more to herding instinct ruffled by the exit and then satisfied by the return, rather than a measure of secure base attachment.
I've been working with a German Shepherd who came in as an animal control seizure and terrified - which he exhibited as barrier aggression and warnings to keep away rather than a fearful posture. We've gone to great lengths to work with him, and yesterday the Director and I took him to our Annex building where we have some agility equipment. So we had the unfamiliar room.
I walked him around the room, which is a good size, so he could look out the windows, and check things out. When the Director left, with a plan to come back in a half hour, he was very attentive, put his front paws up the half door of the interior entrance way, and listened carefully. He went from window to window without seeing her. He's usually super interested in tennis balls, but for about 10 minutes wasn't interested in play at all. He came to me briefly a few times and returned to scouting for her. He's generally a pretty vocal dog when he's anxious or frustrated, but he didn't vocalize at all. After about 15 minutes, I was able to engage him fully with some of the agility equipment - he had no hesitancy in going through our 6 ft tunnel, even though he had to duck to do it, and once I put the uprights of a jump with one upright against a wall, he was willing to readily go through them (no jump bar in place) although in another setting he had been spooked by the uprights. When the Director came back, his attention reverted only to her progress through the building and again he put his paws up on the half door. He jumped on her a little bit when she came in, but readily followed her motion that brought him back to four on the floor. Within a couple of minutes he moved away from her and stood between us, seemingly completely soothed. The director and I have only worked with him together a few times, and I have worked alone with him many times.In retrospect I wonder if he was interested in having the together. When she was gone I thought of trying the same thing with me leaving, but forgot, darn it : )
There might be too many variables to draw any conclusions, but the episode did remind me that we have security cameras in that room, with the observation screens in a room off the entrance area. It will be possible for me to leave a dog in the agility room, observe them, and return. I'll watch that part of the video again; I don't remember how long the person was absent, and I want to review the evaluation of the various reactions.
Thanks for sharing your work! It's really interesting and useful.
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Eudora Watson
Volunteer
Potsdam Humane Society Shelter
New York
Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 11:57 AM
From: Alison Gibson
Subject: Maddie's Insights webcast April 13, 2023: Becoming a Secure Base: Using science to improve human-animal bonds and welfare
This webcast was recorded on Thursday, April 13, 2023
Presented by Monique Udell, Ph. D., CAAB, Associate Professor of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University, where she also runs the Human-Animal Interactions Lab.
WATCH THE RECORDING HERE
Many people feel that they have shared a strong bond with a do, and there is growing scientific evidence that these dogs also form strong bonds with their humans. However, science also tells us that not all bonds are created equal. The kind and quality of attachment relationship shared can influence a dog's behavior and welfare outcomes. In this talk, Dr. Monique Udell will provide an overview of attachment theory, including what it means to be a Secure Base, and how this knowledge can be applied to better understand and improve dog-human relationships and the relationships shared between humans and other animals.
After the watching, join us right here to comment or ask questions
This one-hour web was pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.
This webcast has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval.
About the presenter:
Monique Udell, Ph. D., CAAB
Dr. Monique Udell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and an Associate Professor of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University, where she also runs the Human-Animal Interactions Lab. Much of her work focuses on the development of human-animal bonds and the impact that these bonds can have on the behavior and success of both species. She also studies the social behavior and cognition of a variety of species including cats, dogs, wolves, and sheep, with a special interest in the influence of domestication and lifetime experience on behavioral development, welfare and learning. In addition, Dr. Udell is the co-director of an animal-assisted intervention program dedicated to improving the quality of life of children with and without developmental disabilities and their family dogs and cats. To find out more visit: https://thehumananimalbond.com/
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alison gibson
Senior Media Specialist
Maddie's Fund
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