Social Maturity – Part Deux

In my last blog I discussed the stage we call ‘Social Maturity’, in relation to ‘Adolescence’, and asked the reader to describe what a socially mature dog would look like, or how it would behave. I received no responses to the question, so I will continue based upon my understanding and experience.

A socially mature dog has the ability to balance its own need for safety, physical nourishment¸ physical and psychological space¸ the need to pass it’s genes on to the next generation, and other factors that contribute to its ‘quality of life’, with the needs of its social group. The needs of the group include safety, cooperation, continuity for the group and all of its individual members. These individual and group needs can be in conflict with each other. So, the socially mature dog must have the ability to meet its own needs without threatening the continuity of the group; and, all of this in an environment where competition for valued resources exists.

If you think about it for a minute, you’ll realize that the description above is in stark contrast to ‘Pack Theory’ and ‘Dominance Theory’. In these theories each animal is all about itself, its own survival, and its own ‘status’ within the pack. Its all about ...”I, me, mine!”, and the individual pack members are willing to risk serious injury or death to meet their individuals needs.

How can it be that a species of animals living in a group, as a stable evolutionary strategy (wolves, for instance) has, at its foundation, a hierarchy that is based upon selfish physical dominance of other members of the group? How could such a species have successfully evolved? The answer is that such a species is not imaginable. Groups built upon this foundation would have self-destructed eons ago. So, what is wrong with this picture...wolves, and dogs are certainly successful species? The answer can only be that the popular description of wolves, and dogs, as animals that live in a group based upon a social hierarchy enforced by physical force, or the threat of force, is an incorrect description.
We now know, based upon more recent field work, that even wolves do not exhibit a dominance hierarchy in their packs. A wolf ‘pack’, in the wild, is more accurately described as a ‘family’ centered upon a breeding pair, in which all of the adult members contribute to the upbringing and welfare of the current year’s pups, and in which all members are related by blood. This is a social dynamic in which individual members may indeed behave in a ways that contribute to the survival of the pack, at the expense of the individual i.e., any adult member of the pack may bring back partially digested food from a kill and regurgitate it when prompted by a pup. All adult members of the pack play a role in protecting the cubs, and the pack as a whole even, if necessary, at the expense of their personal survival. And, all adult members of the pack contribute to the education of pups and adolescents in order to help them become fully functioning members of the pack. That is, they teach the younger members of the pack to become socially mature members of the group – for the good of the group and the survival of the species.

If it’s true that a ‘Pack Theory’, based upon physical dominance, is no longer an accurate description of the social behavior of wolves, how can we possibly apply that same theory to domestic dogs, whose evolution may be in question, but in any description involves thousands of years of co-evolution with human beings? We can only do so by ‘shoe-¬¬horning’ dogs into an outdated and inappropriate social model. This practice preempts our ability to see dogs as dogs and not as domesticated wolves.

The difference in dogs and wolves is very small, genetically speaking. Dogs and wolves share 98% of the same genes. What we do not have clear understanding of is the relationship between the genes and the biology of the individual. Chimpanzees and humans also share 98% of the same genes. Genotype is one thing. But, phenotype (that which we can observe) is another. Domestic dogs come in an amazing array of shapes, colors, coat textures, and so on. This is phenotype. But, phenotype also includes behavior, not just physical attributes. For example:

* wolves and dogs are both predators, but wolves are hunters and dogs are scavengers.

* All the members of a wolf’s social group are related by blood; they are kin. A dog’s social group can include members that are not related at all.

* A wolf’s social group does not include members of other species. A dog’s social group can include other species like cats, rabbits, hamsters, birds, and most importantly human beings.

* A dog’s social group has very porous borders, with group members of varying species coming and going, while the wolf’s group is limited, almost exclusively to kin, and therefore, remains stable over time.

So, in the context of a social group that has porous borders, includes non-specifics, is not based upon kin relationships, and scavenges for survival, what constitutes a socially mature dog? A socially mature dog has the ability to balance its own need for safety, physical nourishment¸ physical and psychological space¸ and other factors that contribute to its ‘quality of life’, with the needs of its social group. The needs of the group include safety, sustenance, cooperation, the opportunity to pass along its genes, and the continuity of the group and all of its individual members. These individual and group needs may not always be complimentary. So, the socially mature dog must have the ability to meet its own needs without threatening the continuity of the group, and all of this in an environment where competition for valued resources exists.

In other words, a socially mature dog knows how to “...go along, and get along.” A socially mature dog is not looking for a fight, is not interested in social status, is able to sacrifice it’s own needs or desires to another in the interest of the group’s continuity. This individual may experience a strong desire regarding a particular resource, and be willing to display ritual aggression to retain it, but it is not willing to deliver an uninhibited bite and risk death or serious injury.

So, going back to the original questions: What is a socially mature dog, and the related question - What is the function of ’Adolescence’? Why is there an adolescent period at all? The adolescent period is a time in a dog’s development where it is no longer a puppy (It’s ‘Puppy License’ has expired, and it can no longer get away with biting ears and tails, and invading another dog’s space.), and it is now powerful enough to do serious damage with its teeth, and is in need of instruction from other socially mature dogs in order to become a fully functioning member of the group. Adolescence is a transitional period from puppyhood to adulthood. It is a tumultuous time for a young dog. Suddenly, the rules (of puppyhood) are changed, and the dog has to learn a new set of rules, at the same time that it’s hormones are running amuck. It is a time to experiment with different behaviors and discover which of them are acceptable to the group, and which are not. And, the only way these adolescent dogs have to learn that is by trial and error. This is the reason adolescent dogs are frequently squabbling with other adolescents. They are trying to become socially mature adults.

Do all dogs attain ‘social maturity’ automatically, simply as a result of living to be 18-24 months of age. Absolutely not! Animal shelters and rescue organizations are overrun by dogs that are not socially mature. The worst of them have displayed ‘aggression’ by the broadest definition. And a few have displayed real aggression (willingness to deliver an uninhibited bite) toward dogs and humans. These are truly dangerous animals, and there is little hope for them because their behavior is truly pathological. I use the term pathological because it means that the behavior prevents the dog from forming normal social relationships with other dogs humans. It can also prevent other dogs from developing healthy social behaviors.

But, not all socially ‘immature’ or ‘under-developed’ dogs reside in shelters and rescue organizations. Many of them are living under our own rooves, or with our neighbors. They exist in a shadow-land of social interaction with a very limited number of humans or other dogs. Occasionally they escape the shadows and appear in public where they cause problems...sometimes very serious problems.

Is there anything we can do to help these dogs who are truly ill? It depends on a number of considerations, for instance, is the dog's behavior a result of inadequate socialization (read never learned how), or the result of some traumatic experience? Regardless of the prognosis for a ‘cure’, prevention is clearly the best course of action for domestic dogs.