RESEARCH ARTICLE Dog Breed Differences in Visual Communication with Humans Akitsugu Konno1,2,3*, Teresa Romero1,2, Miho Inoue-Murayama3, Atsuko Saito2, Toshikazu Hasegawa2 1 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kojimachi 5-3-1, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, 2 Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan, 3 Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Tanaka Sekiden cho 2±24, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan *
[email protected] a11111 Abstract Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have developed a close relationship with humans through the process of domestication. In human-dog interactions, eye contact is a key element of relationship initiation and maintenance. Previous studies have suggested that canine ability OPEN ACCESS to produce human-directed communicative signals is influenced by domestication history, from wolves to dogs, as well as by recent breed selection for particular working purposes. Citation: Konno A, Romero T, Inoue-Murayama M, Saito A, Hasegawa T (2016) Dog Breed Differences To test the genetic basis for such abilities in purebred dogs, we examined gazing behavior in Visual Communication with Humans. PLoS ONE towards humans using two types of behavioral experiments: the `visual contact task' and 11(10): e0164760. doi:10.1371/journal. the `unsolvable task'. A total of 125 dogs participated in the study. Based on the genetic pone.0164760 relatedness among breeds subjects were classified into five breed groups: Ancient, Herd- Editor: Juliane Kaminski, University of Portsmouth, ing, Hunting, Retriever-Mastiff and Working). We found that it took longer time for Ancient UNITED KINGDOM breeds to make an eye-contact with humans, and that they gazed at humans for shorter Received: October 28, 2013 periods of time than any other breed group in the unsolvable situation.