Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog

"A major accomplishment in Scott's career was the development of the behavior program at the Jackson Laboratories. He organized a Summer Investigator Program, in which numerous scientists and students could spend their summer in Bar Harbor conducting research. In 1947 Scott was joined at Bar Harbor by John L. Fuller, who would collaborate with him on much research. The program began with behavior-genetic studies of the many inbred strains of house mice maintained in the laboratory there. Aggression and audiogenic seizures were primary topics. He came to believe that aggression was not innate but was the product of complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Scott and Fuller then developed a program of research on dogs, concentrated on five breeds maintained at the Behavior Station near Bar Harbor. An extensive series of studies on genetics and development led to Scott and Fuller's classic Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog (1965). The book has been reprinted several times. They found evidence of both important genetic and environmental influences on the behavior of dogs. The dog research was definitive, was important within the field of animal behavior, and also influenced many outside of the field who worked with dogs and with human development in various capacities. The developmental research led to a classification of the development of behavior of dogs and other species into stages: neonatal, transition, socialization, and juvenile. Scott used the critical periods concept, that organizational processes are most easily modified when they are proceeding most rapidly, to develop general theory about the role of experience in development. As a practical consequence, he was able to recommend the period of approximately 8-12 weeks of age as the ideal time to move puppies from their mothers to human homes." 'The classic study of dog behavior gathered into one volume. Based on twenty years of research at the Jackson Laboratory, this is the single most important and comprehensive reference work on the behavior of dogs ever complied. "_Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog_ is one of the most important texts on canine behavior published to date. Anyone interested in breeding, training, or canine behavior must own this book."—Wayne Hunthausen, D.V.M., Director of Animal Behavior Consultations "This pioneering research on dog behavioral genetics is a timeless classic for all serious students of ethology and canine behavior."—Dr. Michael Fox, Senior Advisor to the President, The Humane Society of the United States "A major authoritative work. . . . Immensely rewarding reading for anyone concerned with dog-breeding."—_Times Literary Supplement_ "The last comprehensive study [of dog behavior] was concluded more than thirty years ago, when John Paul Scott and John L. Fuller published their seminal work _Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog_."—Mark Derr, _The Atlantic Monthly_ "_Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog_ is essential reading for anyone involved in the breeding of dogs. No breeder can afford to ignore the principles of proper socialization first discovered and articulated in this landmark study."-The Monks of New Skete, authors of _How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend_ and the video series _Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete_.'