The lick muzzle thing

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Catarinab
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The lick muzzle thing

Post by Catarinab » Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:52 am

I know woves lick muzzle of the other to:
-Submission
-Ask about food (only in pups)

And for what more they use that?

Sintact
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Re: The lick muzzle thing

Post by Sintact » Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:59 am

- strengthen relationships between pack members.
- showing respect or submission as you said.

Other than that I don't really know for what else this 'action' is used.

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CLBaileyi
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Re: The lick muzzle thing

Post by CLBaileyi » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:29 am

As the two previous people mentioned, the muzzle lick behavior is a crucial behavior in maintaining pack cohesiveness (bond) in canids. African wild dogs are the premier of social canids and this behavior of bonding has caused their dramatic decline due to disease transmission (rabies and parvovirus) in Africa. In addition, the behavior is solicitive in pups to get the adults to regurgitate to them, and for more submissive animals to show to the breeding pair (or more dominant animals when they exist in unique pack structures in captivity).
" Many people think that conservation is just saving fluffy animals - what they don't realize is that conservation is war to prevent the human race from committing suicide. " Gerald Durrell (1925-1995)

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