GabyNowadays, most people prefer to have friendly, calm, and well-adapted pets that fit into a more sedentary lifestyle. Just a few decades ago, dogs were seen as working animals, tasked with hunting, herding livestock, and guarding homes. However, today, the primary focus for pet owners is companionship. Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have discovered that this shift is accompanied by an increase in the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for social bonding—most prominently exhibited by service dog breeds. This hormone drives dogs to seek closer connections with their owners, as reported by the Daily Mail. According to the Swedish scientists, as humans domesticated wolves and transformed them into gentle companions, dogs’ sensitivity to oxytocin increased.
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What did the researchers find out? During the study, the team examined how dogs develop their unique ability to work alongside humans, particularly their willingness to ask for help when faced with a challenging problem. The scientists hypothesized that the hormone oxytocin plays a role in this ability, as it is known to influence social relationships among humans. The effect of oxytocin depends on how strongly it binds to its receptor inside cells. Previous studies have shown that variations in genetic material near the gene coding for oxytocin receptors affect dogs’ willingness to communicate. In other words, dogs’ social skills are partially encoded in their genes, which control their sensitivity to oxytocin.
During the experiment, the researchers observed 60 golden retrievers attempting to lift the lid off a jar containing treats. As you might guess, the scientists intentionally made it impossible to open the jar. They also collected DNA samples from the dogs’ noses to determine which variant of the oxytocin receptor each participant had. The dogs underwent this behavioral test twice: once after receiving a dose of nasal oxytocin spray and again after receiving a dose of a neutral saline solution. The team timed how long the dogs tried to open the jar on their own before seeking help from their owner. Dogs with a specific genetic variant of the receptor showed a stronger response to the oxytocin spray compared to others, and the dose of oxytocin prompted them to ask for help more frequently than the saline solution did. These results provide insight into how domestication has altered the genes that influence dogs’ social skills.
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What else do scientists say about the third wave of dog domestication? The study’s findings suggest that dogs are experiencing a third wave of domestication. This theory is also supported by renowned American dog behavior specialists Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods. As dogs have transitioned from hard workers to companions, their behavior—and possibly even their biology—has changed, the experts say. Hare and Woods noted that more dogs are now living in densely populated areas, leading to increased interactions with unfamiliar dogs and people. Meanwhile, some behaviors that once made dogs appealing to our ancestors have become maladaptive. “More energetic, excitable, fearful, or anxious dogs are more likely to end up in shelters, where they struggle to find new homes,” the experts added.
The first wave of dog domestication occurred during the Upper Paleolithic era (40,000-14,000 years ago). It began when humans formed communities of gatherers and often left food scraps near their settlements. According to Woods and Hare, wolves that took advantage of this food source gained a survival advantage. “As a result, the animals’ attraction to humans displaced fear and aggression,” they noted.
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The second wave began after the Industrial Revolution, when the burgeoning middle class actively adopted dogs, as this was associated with good taste and high income. They started breeding dogs for specific physical traits, leading to the artificial creation of many new breeds. Now, dogs are entering a third wave of domestication, which is largely focused on adapting these animals’ temperaments to the modern world. Experts Woods and Hare believe that humans should actively support this process.
