Differences in the Behavior of Landraces and Breeds of Dogs - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 196

stand about 45 cm at the shoulder, and can be any color, with ash-yellow
being common. The constraints on reproduction of these animals is entirely
post-zygotic (selective advantage is conferred to individuals after they are
born). The fewer number of working dogs and pet-class dogs are the result
of pre-zygotic selection (bred by selecting for certain parental traits). We
would like to imagine the five types as a phylogenetic sequence. The five
types are presented in an order that suggests both the origin of the dog as a
species and its subsequent diversification into subspecific and racial breeds.
The five types are:

1. Village dogs. The vast majority of dogs are natural scavengers, and they
obey the rules of a niche-adapted species.
2. Livestock-guarding dogs. These are mostly landrace animals, rather than
breeds; they are village dogs that ontogenetically/developmentally acquire
working behaviors.
3. Sled dogs. The unique morphology and behavior of sled-pullers are the
result of choosing individuals from a background population, and

hybridization.
4. Herding dogs, gun dogs, and hounds. These breeds result from pre-
zygotic selection and have unique sets of innate motor patterns necessary
for their specific task.
5. Household dogs. This very large population of dogs is adopted for pet or
companion qualities.

Village Dogs
Ecology
Neolithic humans have lived in permanent settlements for approximately
10,000 years. These settlements now range in size from small seasonal
shelters to cities, but in this chapter we call them all villages. Coexisting in
and around these villages are many animal species. A short list includes
cockroaches, rats, house mice, pigeons, cats, and a variety of canids—foxes,
jackals, wolves, and, of interest here, dogs. It is rare to find some of these spe-
cies (especially the dog) anywhere else but in the village environment. Thus
the environment in and around a village can be viewed as a niche(s). The
species living exclusively in this niche have adapted to forage, reproduce, and
avoid hazards in the presence of humans. In some cases these adaptations
(process) are developed ontogenetically, while others appear to be evolution-
ary adaptations (results of natural selection).
Dogs are well-known village occupants the world over, existing some-
times in great numbers—estimates range to 6 1 billion. In some places there

may be 100 1000 dogs/square kilometer. For example, (the village of)

Baltimore, Maryland, has supported an estimated 40,000 free-ranging dogs
( Beck, 1973 ). Boitani and Fabbri (1983) estimated 800,000 free-ranging