Experimental procedure to investigate dogs behavioral responses to video of predatory stimulus

Hunting behavior is a fundamental aspect of the dog's behavioral repertoire, shaped by selection and training. It can affect wildlife, livestock, pets, and humans. Despite its significance, systematic studies in controlled environments are lacking. This study aimed to develop an experimental procedure to investigate attention patterns and behaviors indicative of active interest toward prey in video. Additionally, it examined whether breed groups influence the manifestation of such behaviors. Sample consisted of 24 dogs: 12 non-hunting breed dogs and 12 hunting breed dogs, without experience in hunting activities. Each dog underwent two conditions: a video featuring real prey escaping (test) and a video displaying a neutral stimulus (control), mimicking the displacement of the real prey. Behavioral responses related to interest and attention were analyzed across three phases: during the stimulus display, immediately after stimulus disappearance, and when the dog was released in the experimental room. During the video presentation, dogs looked at the prey for mean±SD=69% ± 23% of the time. However, only hunting breed dogs were more interested in the prey video (looking at the stimulus: mean±se= 4.7±0.2s, p=<0.001 GEE; Ears forward: 3.8±0.5s, p=0.010 GEE) than the control one (looking at the stimulus: 3.1±0.3s; Ears forward: 2.1±0.4s), but not the non-hunting breeds. However, right after the disappearance of the prey, all dogs paid attention at the stimulus area more in the test (looking at the stimulus area: 11.7±1.0s, p=0.031 GEE), than the control (looking at the stimulus area: 9.8±0.7s). When free to move, dogs exhibited significantly greater interest in the stimulus area in the test (orientation to the stimulus area: 60.9±4.9% of time, p=0.001 GEE), compared to the control (orientation to the stimulus area: 47.2±5.1% of time). This data highlights a different interest pattern toward the prey and neutral video, being a promising result for the use of this procedure to investigate potential responses related to predation. This seems particularly true for hunting breeds, who showed interest only toward the visible prey but not the neutral object, while the attention of the other group seems to have been captured by the presence/movement of the stimulus, regardless of its nature. These results contribute to the understanding of predatory behavior in domestic dogs, suggesting the potential influence of genetic factors in being attracted to prey.