Urine marking by free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) in relation to sex, season, place and posture

doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00178-8

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volume 80, Issue 1, 2 January 2003, Pages 45-59

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00178-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

Carnivores use various scent-marking methods. Observations on the scent marking by urination of 16 free-ranging dogs from two neighbouring groups were recorded in the town of Katwa, West Bengal, India. The frequency of urine marking was higher in males than in females. The seasonal mean (±S.D.) number of markings for individual males varied with a minimum of 4.0 (±1.5) in summer, and a maximum of 31.5 (±9.1) in late monsoon. Similarly, the seasonal mean (±S.D.) number of markings for individual females varied with a minimum of 1.1 (±0.9) in summer, and a maximum of 5.9 (±2.5) in late monsoon. Therefore, the frequency of marking was not the same in every season. The incidence of urine marking was higher in the courting place as well as in the late monsoon. Occasionally, ‘possessive urine marking’ was observed among the alpha males. Urine marking seemed to be linked with scavenging behaviour. The incidence of urine marking mostly by the males near the territorial boundary during trespassing by neighbouring dog(s) showed the evidence of territorial defense. Perhaps to protect the pups, the females marked with a higher rate at the nest site. The dogs, especially the males, marked on strange objects/vehicles perhaps to familiarise the strange objects.

Every male and every female performed High leg raising (HLR) and squat postures, respectively. Raised leg display (RLD) was performed only by the males and was influenced by the presence of other dogs. The males showed the RLD mostly in the courting place and also near the territory, perhaps to indicate their dominance, aggressiveness and to threaten the others.

Introduction

Most terrestrial mammals use olfaction as a primary means of communication, and this is conspicuous in carnivore species (Gorman and Trowbridge, 1989). Odours are produced by most organs that secrete externally, including the sebaceous and apocrine sweat glands of the integument (Adams, 1980, Gorman, 1980, Gorman and Trowbridge, 1989), salivary glands (Ewer, 1968, Adams, 1980), and accessory eye organs (Adams, 1980). Urine, vaginal secretions, and faces are also used in communication in many species (Smith, 1977, Adams, 1980, Gorman, 1980, Macdonald, 1980, Macdonald, 1985).

Scent marking by urination is a common practice in the family canidae, and several studies have been previously done (Lorenz, 1954, Scott and Fuller, 1965, Kleiman, 1966, Hart and Haugen, 1971, Beck, 1973, Sprague and Anisko, 1973, Beach, 1974; Hart, 1974a, Hart, 1974b; Fox et al., 1975, Anisko, 1976, Dunbar, 1977, Dunbar, 1978, Bekoff, 1979). Most studies have been conducted on the basis of sex, marking postures and marking rates in different social contexts.

The present study examined the seasonal pattern of urine marking in both sexes. Data were collected in different situations to understand the purpose of marking. Different types of marking postures including raised leg display (RLD) were also recorded individually.

Section snippets

Study area

The study was conducted in the town of Katwa (23°14′N, 87°5′E) in the state of West Bengal, India. The study area (0.5 km²) inhabited by a population of approximately 4000 people, was on the outskirts of the town and was linked with other parts of the town by a metal road. It was bounded to the North and North–West by wetland; and to the East, South and South–West by paddy fields. The main bus stand of the town was situated in the study area.

The area comprised 20% low income, 65% middle class,

Focal groups, home range and territory

Table 1 lists the subjects of the study, the birth dates, sex, and the dog’s relationship to one another. Throughout the period of observation, the number of individuals (excluding pups and juveniles) ranged from five to seven ‘residential’ dogs in the NP-group and ranged from seven to nine ‘residential’ dogs in BS-group. When the study began (March 1998), the number of individuals in the NP-group consisted of five dogs (two adult males and three adult females), and in the BS-group consisted of

Discussion

The widely accepted notion that urban stray dogs are ‘asocial’ animals (e.g. Scott and Fuller, 1965, Beck, 1973, Kleiman and Brady, 1978, Berman and Dunbar, 1983, Daniels, 1983), is contrary to studies which have suggested that long-term affiliative bonds exist within groups of urban stray dogs (e.g. Fox et al., 1975, Carr, 1985, Font, 1987). Group composing (excluding pups and juveniles) in this study was more or less stable throughout the study period, and relative stability in the social

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Prof. L. Boitani who read the drafts of this paper and improved its quality. I also wish to thank two anonymous referees for advice and comments on the earlier drafts of this paper. Mr. Subhadip Pal and Mrs. Dipti Pal assisted with field works. Mr. Shyam Sundar Dutta and Mr. Parag Mukherjee typed the manuscript. Mr. Ajay Bagaddeo helped in storing the electronic file in a floppy disk. I wish to thank all of them.

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Urine marking by free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) in relation to sex, season, place and posture

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Study area

Focal groups, home range and territory

Discussion

Acknowledgements

Physiol. Behav.

Appl. Anim. Ethol.

Appl. Anim. Ethol.

Behav. Biol.

Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.

Appl. Anim. Ethol.

Behav. Biol.

Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.

Anim. Behav.

Appl. Anim. Ethol.

Canis latrans. Anim. Behav.

Odour—producing organs of mammals

Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond.

Observational study of behaviour: sampling methods

Behaviour

Responses of male dogs to urine from females in heat

J. Mammal

Scent marking by free-ranging domestic dogs

Bio. Behav.

Indagine eco-etologica sulla popolazione di cani domestici e randagi di due comuni della Basilicata

Silva lucana. Bari.

Comparative social ecology of feral dogs and wolves

Ethol. Ecol. E.

Population and social biology of free-ranging dogs, Canis familiaris

J. Mammal

Olfactory preferences in dogs: the response of male and female beagles to conspecific urine

Behav. Biol.

Olfactory communication in mammals

Ann. Rev. Ecol. System.

Territorial behaviour of the wild beast (Connochaetes taurinus Burchell, 1923)

Z. Tierpsychol.