Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonTitan  Okay, I hear that. But my thoughts are that those are more drives than instincts.
Drive says, "I the horse - dont like horse boxes." or "I the Pittbull wish to kill things." Drives can be overcome with correct nurture.
Instinct is much more primal than that. Its the horse jumping from the bush that suddenly rustles, no matter how well nurtured it may be to dark places. Instinct overrides all reason. We see this even in humans - possibly THE most domesticated mammal of all.
I dont believe that instincts can be modified. Drives that are species specific maybe.
I feel that the dynamics of a social environment, such as a pack, are consistent with the original primal instinct of its ancestors. Its just manifested differently because, an example I used in another post, we cant physically get down on our hands and knees and snarl at the dog. (have been known to do it though). But we do it metaphorically. The NILIF concept is nothing more than "you need to do what the alpha tells you if you want to eat." Its a survival concept that appeals to the dogs instinct - that's why it works.
We're still a wolf pack - or male dogs wouldn't run around cocking their legs on their territory. Or at least that's just my view on it.
ps. I go home every day after learning from this forum and look at Titan in a whole new light. Im really glad I chose a Rotty, they are amazing. I kissed him on the nose, at which point he squatted and peed on the carpet in the lounge and then ran outside. :) 7 months - start of the terrible teens, no doubt. |
There's not a lot that is more primal than the need to reproduce.... or hunt for food... or aggression...all of which are survival behaviors. . We possess these instincts.... only now we mostly hunt at the corner market instead of on the great plains, aggression is poo pooed by social more's, and well... we sure do reproduce.
Domesticated animals are generally 'toned down' versions of their ancestors from which they derived. They tend to maintain neotonic physical and behavioral characteristics. Dogs are the most varied species on earth, with some 400 breeds or so accounted for. While they retain a few behaviors that their wolf cousins possess, they are NOT the same.
The wolf's socialization period ENDS at 21 days... the dog's at 12 weeks. That's a big difference to your first question. This is what makes it so difficult to have wolves or hybrids of wolves turn out as reliable 'pets'. Domestication has allowed the dog more time to adjust to the world around it before becoming wary or fearful of external stimuli.