We all think our dogs form attachments to us, but previous studies with wolf pups have suggested they don’t attach to their caregiver in the same way. While a 16-week old puppy is already attached to its owner, scientists found the same is not true of a 16-week old wolf. However, the way the wolf pup is raised and the age of testing may have an effect. New research by Nathaniel Hall (University of Florida) et al investigates. The results show wolf pups can form attachments to humans after all.
Ten wolf pups from two litters took part in the study (although one pup was ill and not able to take part in all of the tests). From the age of 10 days old, the wolves were raised by two humans who were with them round the clock until 1.5 – 2 months. After this, the caregivers were present 16 hours a day. The research took place at Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana.
In children, attachment is tested by the Strange Situation, a set protocol that includes episodes of presence and absence by the caregiver and a stranger. Previous research has used this method on dogs (e.g. Rehn et al 2014; Gácsi et al 2013). The wolf pups were tested using a modified version of this that took account of order effects. They were tested at 3, 5 and 7 weeks of age, using the same caregiver but a different stranger each time.
As part of the wolves’ socialization, they were regularly introduced to new people and to different environments, so it is not surprising they did not find being in a new room in the presence of a stranger threatening. This contrasts to studies with young children, in which the absence of the caregiver is generally experienced as threatening.
via Companion Animal Psychology: Do Hand-Reared Wolves get Attached to their Humans?.