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In this recent TED talk, top primatologist Frans de Waal discusses his early years and the disquiet he felt at the prevailing obsession with aggression and dominance in defining primate social behaviour. Social interactions within many species, but particularly primates, is in reality a complex mosiac of different dynamics, most of which have nothing to do with competitiveness and dominance. Perhaps this provides some evolutionary signposts as to the origin of moral behaviour in humans?
The dog world is obsessed with breeds and genetics. There’s a general assumption that most modern breeds have some or other ancient and ‘pure’ genetic lineage, and that any dilution of this line will inevitably prove to be deleterious both physically and behaviourally. There’s also a widespread notion that behaviour is directly genetically determined, and this even extends into some science writing and reporting. Of course it’s all either completely erroneous, or a gross over-simplification of a very complex dynamic. Yet it remains stubbornly unmovable.
The form of many dog breeds has changed dramatically even in my lifetime. Which begs the question: why do we assume some narrow genetic lineage over centuries when shape and form (morphology) is so plastic even under the very rigid control that defines modern professional dog breeding? This photo of an English Bulldog dated 1892 shows a dog that is nominally of the same breed as the modern incarnation – the breed currently subjected to so much handwringing and concern due to its physical incapacitation. Is anyone seriously suggesting that these two morphological types (dog in photo and modern English Bulldog) possess an identical genotype? And if it were so, what would that say about the relationship between genotype and form?
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In this third post relating to the horrible tragedy in Philippi last month, I feel compelled to stick my neck out and take a critical look at the much hyped sterilization issue (spaying and neutering of animals) and question whether this will solve current dog/human problems in urban South Africa. Of course I realize that this is sacred ground: there are few concepts that so unite all interested parties in the companion animal field – local authorities, NGO’s, Veterinary Associations, trainers, Animal Behaviourists and activist groups – and this unity contrasts so markedly with the rancor that usually reigns. But recent local bylaws and increasing pressure from welfare activists for mandatory sterilization requires some unpacking, at the very least, before a hellishly expensive folly is perpetrated on the animals and poor people of Cape Town.
On Tuesday 12th July I was interviewed by Mike Wills on 567 Cape Talk’s ‘John Matham Show’ about my previous blog post, and further dog bite incidents in Philippi’s Sweet Home Farm. This and the next post are a response to some of the feedback and public responses to all of this. This first one looks at the relationship between how situations are understood and described, and its impact on the potential effectiveness of any response and solution.
There is now an established tradition of ham-fisted responses to animal related problems in Cape Town, and this one is shaping up to be one of the most bungled and infuriating of the lot. If we doggedly continue to mischaracterise the problem, and refuse to understand the makeup of the constituency being impacted, any solutions formulated are bound to be little more than an expensive exercise in futility. This set of circumstances is not unique to Cape Town, or South Africa; and neither are the problems we’re seeing.
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Dominance: Top Dogs Pull Rank
Mark Derr, Dog’s Best Friend: Annals of the Dog-Human Relationship (2004)
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