Citation

Kim YK, Lee SS, Oh SI, Kim JS, Suh EH, Houpt KA, Lee HC, Lee HJ, Yeon SC. Behav. Processes 2010; 84(2): 568-572.

Affiliation

Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.beproc.2010.02.012

PMID

20176091

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the behavioural reactivity of Jindo dogs with two different coat colours. Fawn (16 males, 15 females; mean age+/-S.D.=7.2+/-2.1 years) and white (10 males, 10 females; mean age+/-S.D.=6.9+/-2.1 years) Jindo dogs were exposed to a set of behavioural tests. All of the dogs were videotaped during the testing period to allow further analysis. The intensity of social, aggressive, fearful, and submissive reactivity and the frequency of urination as a scent-marking behaviour were scored on a scale running from 0 to 4 points. For each dog, each variable was defined as the average of the scores of nine behaviour tests. Then, the behavioural reactivities of Jindo dogs of each coat colour were compared. The results suggested that Jindo dogs of fawn coat colour exhibited a significantly lower intensity of fearful and submissive reactivity than those of white coat colour. In addition, fawn Jindo dogs produced scent-marking behaviour significantly more frequently. The results of the present study may provide useful information for scientific researchers, potential owners and breeders of Jindo dogs.

Language: en