Abstract
The urine-marking behaviour of captive, paired male and female bush dogs, Speothos venaticus, was investigated during pair formation and maintenance. Urine-marking frequencies decreased as pair members became familiar, but urine-marking remained an important aspect of the bush dog's precopulatory display. Paired females exhibited a handstand posture, as well as several other urine-marking behaviours less often or never shown by males. The onset of urine-marking occurred later in female versus male juveniles living in the family group. Behavioural responses suggest that bush dogs can discriminate between male and female urine and that female handstanding may serve as a visual signal in sexual recognition. Sexual differences in urine-marking behaviours are interpreted in relation to intrasexual competition for the high level of parental care exhibited by males in this monogamous species.
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