Endogenous Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Aggression in Domestic Dogs

MacLean, E. L., Gesquiere, L. R., Gruen, M. E., Sherman, B. L., Martin, W. L., Carter, C. S. (2017). Endogenous Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Aggression in Domestic Dogs. Frontiers in Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01613 [PDF]

Aggressive behavior in dogs poses public health and animal welfare concerns, however the biological mechanisms regulating dog aggression are not well understood. We investigated the relationships between endogenous plasma oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP)—neuropeptides that have been linked to affiliative and aggressive behavior in other mammalian species—and aggression in domestic dogs.