OLFACTORY AND VISUAL CUES IN THE INTERACTION SYSTEMS BETWEEN DOGS ANDCHILDREN

Various studies have established the importance of olfactory cues in t he relational systems between conspecifics by the canids and humans. T he study of the behaviour of dogs towards children with clothes impreg nated with body odours has led to the definition of different function s of olfaction in interspecific relational systems. An experimental si tuation in kennels details the behaviour of dogs in response to differ ent combinations of visual and olfactory stimulations reproduced with a realistic child dummy. The discussion of the results deals with the contingent socio-cognitive abilities of pet dogs and their relational strategies based on the integration of different sensory modalities pr esent in the 'social' stimulations.