Do older siblings help raise their younger siblings? A case study of alloparental care in Indian free-ranging dogs

Abstract

In wolf packs alloparental care is predominately present. During the process of dog domestication the dogs have undergone certain behavioural changes. Due to shifting to a scavenging lifestyle from a hunting lifestyle the free-ranging dogs mainly live singly or in small groups rather than in large wolf like packs. Due to food scarcity the offsprings often move away from their parents. In places where sufficient food supply is present offsprings often stay with their mother and alloparental care of pups by close genetic relatives has been observed. In this study we observed the surviving offspring of the previous litter provide alloparental care to the pups of her mother’s newest litter. Alloparental care was provided in the form of increased guarding, play and food sharing during the early weeks of pups’ lives. The increased care of the pups by the alloparent could increase the pups’ chances of surviving to adulthood.