About this Webinar:

Dogs are often celebrated for their unique bond with humans, with claims that they are less aggressive and more socially intelligent than their wild relatives, wolves. These traits have even been used to draw parallels between dog domestication and the idea of human "self-domestication." But how accurate are these assumptions? In this webinar, we will explore the latest research comparing dogs and wolves, revealing that the story is more complex than it seems.  Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not exhibit superior socio-cognitive skills or reduced aggression compared to wolves. Instead, their behavior reflects specific adaptations to living alongside humans. Dogs are particularly skilled at avoiding conflict with higher-ranking individuals—whether other dogs or humans—and show a remarkable tendency to follow social rules. These traits make them cooperative and reliable social partners, but they also highlight the influence of human-driven selection on their evolution. By examining these findings, we will challenge the idea of using dog domestication as a direct model for human social evolution. Instead, we will discuss how dogs represent a species uniquely shaped by their socio-ecological niche and their close relationship with humans.


Learning Outcomes:

1) Participants will be able to describe key differences in aggression, conflict avoidance, and social rule-following behaviors between dogs and wolves.

2) Participants will gain the ability to assess the validity of claims that dog domestication serves as a model for human "self-domestication."

3) Participants will learn how human-driven selection has shaped dogs' unique behavioral traits and adaptations to living in a human-dominated environment.

4) Recognize the importance of valid Cross-Species Comparisons

Meet your Instructor

Prof. Friederike Range

Prof. Friederike Range is a renowned behavioral biologist and expert in animal cognition, with a particular focus on the social behavior and cognitive abilities of dogs and wolves. She is a co-founder of the Wolf Science Center in Ernstbrunn, Austria, a unique research facility dedicated to studying the behavior and cognition of wolves and dogs under comparable conditions. Her work bridges the fields of evolutionary biology, psychology, and animal behavior, providing critical insights into the effects of domestication and the evolutionary roots of social and cognitive traits. Prof. Range earned her PhD in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, where she investigated the social cognition in free-ranging primates. Over the years, her research has expanded to explore how domestication has shaped the behavior and cognition of dogs in comparison to their wild relatives, wolves. Her studies have challenged long-standing assumptions about dog domestication, revealing nuanced differences in conflict resolution, cooperation, and rule-following behaviors