Do dog-owner bonds influence spatial movements of free-ranging dogs?

Abstract

Domestic dogs have a close and mutualistic relationship with humans. When unconfined, they usually stay close to the owner’s home, but some undertake intensive forays in nature with negative impacts on wildlife. Predictors for such problem dogs in previous research concentrated on dog characteristics and husbandry. Here we explored which aspects of the dog-owner bond had spatial consequences in free-ranging dog movements. Using a socio-ecological framework, we assessed the strength of this relationship through (i) an evaluation of attachment behaviours during the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP, dog’s perception of the relationship), and (ii) applying the Monash Dog-Owner Relationship Scale questionnaire (MDORS, owner’s perception) in 41 dog-owner dyads while remotely monitoring the movements of participating dogs. Those dogs belonged to an urban population of free-ranging dogs in Southern Chile. We found that 39% of dogs entered natural areas, while only three individuals exhibited multiple overnight excursions. Home range size (1.8-4,227 ha) and mean distances to owner’s home (0–28.4 km) varied greatly among individuals. Through ANCOVA and generalized linear models we identified that dogs with higher levels of exploration behaviours when alone, greeting their owners more intensively and more passive behaviours in the presence of their owners (SSP) had larger home ranges, moved farer away from home or accessed nature more than dogs with opposite levels in those categories. However, the MDORS questionnaire was a poor predictor for movements of free-ranging dogs. When considering the dogs’ background, older dogs, males, and dogs that got lost more frequently exhibited more intensive forays. In conclusion, this study shows that the dog-owner bond indeed influences roaming behaviour in dogs and highlights the necessity of wildlife management strategies considering the cultural context.