London - Females are much more sociable than males, scientists say – at least when it comes to dogs.
The maternal instincts of females may make them interact with humans more than males do, according to a Swedish study.
Researchers set more than 400 pedigree beagles an impossible puzzle. They were put in front of three boxes, each of which had a clear lid and contained a biscuit.
Two of the lids slid back, allowing the dogs to eat the treat, but the third was stuck shut. Females were more likely to look to a researcher for help, making eye contact and physical contact, such as putting their paw up.
Professor Per Jensen, of Linkoping University, said: “Females scored significantly higher on social interactions and physical contact. We don’t really know why females were more social towards humans, but a speculative possibility would be that it could be a side-effect of their nurturing instincts.
“Perhaps female dogs are more apt at co-operation since they have a pup-rearing responsibility in their natural behaviour.”
In journal Genes, Brain and Behavior, the professor also said that closely related beagles tended to behave similarly – suggesting genes could cause the behaviour.
He said the findings could help improve human health, adding: “Reduced eye contact and communication have been suggested to be important aspects of human autism spectrum disorders. Dogs may prove to be important models for understanding the genetic basis of this.”
Daily Mail