Presentation Details
| Trait Matching and Social Dynamics in Open Play Interactions Among Domestic Dogs Don Cherry1, Britt Florkiewicz1, 2, Carolyn Henry 1, Teddy Lazebnik3. 1University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine, Research Center for Human Animal Interaction, Columbia, MO, USA.2Animal Behavior and Cognition Lab, Lyon, AS, USA.3University of Haifa, Haifa, Haifa District, Israel |
Abstract
Social play offers essential opportunities for communication and social development in mammals. Domestic dogs serve as an ideal model for studying dyadic interaction patterns given their frequent engagement in intraspecific play throughout adulthood. This study investigated whether biological and behavioral trait matching predicted play duration and spatial proximity during open play interactions among domestic dogs. Video recordings of 181 dyadic play bouts involving 115 dogs were analyzed using video-based behavioral measures of head-to-head and head-to-tail contact, along with biological traits including size, age, and sex. Generalized linear models showed that neither biological nor behavioral trait matching predicted play duration or proximity. Instead, specific behavioral expressions were associated with shorter play bouts, suggesting that interaction intensity, rather than partner similarity, may shape play dynamics and highlighting the complexity of partner preferences in domestic dog social play.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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