Solitary working hunting dogs show a higher tendency for magnetic alignment, with decreased alignment in older dogs

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00027014%3A_____%2F25%3A10006240" target="_blank" >RIV/00027014:_____/25:10006240 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60460709:41320/25:103552

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001436244500001" target="_blank" >https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001436244500001</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106575" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106575</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Solitary working hunting dogs show a higher tendency for magnetic alignment, with decreased alignment in older dogs

Original language description

Previous studies have suggested that domestic dogs may be able to sense the Earth&apos;s magnetic field. One way in which this sensory ability (magnetoreception) may be behaviourally expressed is via magnetic alignment, when animals align their bodies in a non-random direction relative to the geomagnetic field. Expression of magnetic alignment can vary depending on environmental and magnetic conditions, cognitive ability, motivation, experience, and possibly on dog breed. Here, we investigated whether magnetic alignment in domestic dogs varied according to breed working specialisation, particularly between breeds used for independent work away from their owners and those working closely with them. We analysed 4986 observations of dogs during excretion, categorising them into three groups based on their working specialisation: (1) non-hunting breeds cooperating closely with their owners, (2) hunting dogs working in visual contact with their owners, and (3) hunting dogs working independently of their owners out of sight. Although we did not observe a consistent pattern of magnetic alignment across all dogs, our results indicate that breeds working independently of their owners demonstrated a higher tendency to align their bodies along the North-South magnetic axis (N-S alignment) than those working closely with their owners. Additionally, the likelihood of N-S alignment decreased with the dogs&apos; age, indicating that older dogs were less likely to exhibit this behaviour. Interestingly, dogs that defecated were more likely to align themselves than those that urinated. These findings highlight the importance of considering working specialisation and age in future studies of magnetoreception in dogs.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10614 - Behavioral sciences biology

Project

<a href="/en/project/EF16_019%2F0000803" target="_blank" >EF16_019/0000803: Advanced research supporting the forestry and wood-processing sector´s adaptation to global change and the 4th industrial revolution</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

ISSN

0168-1591

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

285

Issue of the periodical within the volume

APRIL

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

8

Pages from-to

"Article Nr 106575"

UT code for WoS article

001436244500001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85219054409