Some aspects of the sexual behaviour of stray dogs, canis familiaris

Different aspects of sexual behaviour were studied in the stray dog population of Burdwan Town, India. The bitches differed in their degree of attractiveness to males. There was a positive correlation between the number of males attempting to mate a given bitch and the duration of their association. Most of the bitches showed selective receptivity, readily admitting some males and rejecting others. A significant negative correlation existed between the number of males associated with one bitch and successful mating. The occurrence of rape in these dogs is described. Some aspects of intra-sexual and inter-sexual selection are discussed.