Naked Science Forum
General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: Hannah LS on 21/11/2018 11:50:53
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Dotty asks:
If you look at a Great Dane and then you look at a Chihuahua, they are so different. Do we know if a Great Dane meeting a Chihuahua recognises it as another dog?
What do you think?
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I haven't observed such extremes but it is clear that dogs recognise a wide range of their own species at a considerable distance - way beyond the point at which I can distinguish a small dog from a cat or a fox.
It isn't a matter of smell: my dogs used to attack a stone statue of a cat! And there are distinct class and trade preferences: my gundogs would only socialise with other gundogs, though they tolerated (nearly) all canines. Why "nearly"? Whilst my flatcoat retriever recognised standard poodles as fellow gundogs, her golden retriever companion embarrassingly snarled at any dog or human with curly hair.
Fascinating animals.
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I live in Mexico and here dogs for the most part enjoy more freedom than in other countries (i.e. police will not be called if there is a dog without a leash or a human companion on sight). So dogs have a lot more freedom to, er, mingle. I have often seen the offspring of such interactions: dogs with the head of a German Shepherd and body of a dachshund. My sister owns a somewhat big Chihuahua with the colors of a doberman. So, yes, they still recognize themselves as dogs. Breeds are more like "families" than "species".
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Breeds are more like "families" than "species".
Thank you, @Tetzauh - But all domestic dogs are the same species - all can interbreed, as you point out; if they were different species they would not be cross-fertile.
Love what @alancalverd says about the social sniffing order; I shall pay more attention next time I'm out walking to see which dogs look down on others and if there's any apparent pattern...