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. 2017 Sep 28;7(1):12384.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12577-z.

Interspecific behavioural synchronization: dogs exhibit locomotor synchrony with humans

Charlotte Duranton  1   2 , Thierry Bedossa  3   4 , Florence Gaunet  5
Affiliations

Interspecific behavioural synchronization: dogs exhibit locomotor synchrony with humans

Charlotte Duranton et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Behavioural synchronization is widespread among living beings, including humans. Pairs of humans synchronize their behaviour in various situations, such as walking together. Affiliation between dyadic partners is known to promote behavioral synchronization. Surprisingly, however, interspecific synchronization has recived little scientific investigation. Dogs are sensitive to human cues, and share strong affiliative bonds with their owners. We thus investigated whether, when allowed to move freely in an enclosed unfamiliar space, dogs synchronize their behaviour with that of their owners'. We found that dogs visibly synchronized their location with their owner (staying in close proximity and moving to the same area), as well as their activity and temporal changes in activity (moving when their owner moved, standing still when their owner stood still, and gazing in the same direction as their owner). The present study demonstrates that owners act as attractors for their dogs in an indoor space, as mothers do for their children.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Time spent by the dogs in the centre of the testing room. Dogs (N = 48) spent significantly more time in the centre of the room in the control and still-move conditions compared to the other conditions. Different letters represent statistical differences. Data are presented as mean + SE.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dogs’ time spent stationary by experimental condition. Dogs (N = 48) spent significantly more time stationary in the control, still, and still-move conditions. Different letters represent statistical differences. Data are presented as mean + SE.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Dogs’ time spent gazing toward the front of the room, by experimental condition. Dogs (N = 48) spent significantly more time gazing toward the front of the room in the control and still conditions. Different letters represent statistical differences. Data are presented as mean + SE. G. = Gaze.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Experimental setting. Photography Credits: Charlotte Duranton. Cam = camera.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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