wisdom
Survival in the animal world is also about social bonds. Play teaches young cats boundaries and communication, dominance and submission, and accepted behaviour within a group, while exploration further from the den builds confidence and prepares them for the adult lives that lie ahead. For wild dog pups, the mechanics of play serve a similar role. Chasing, darting, and running after one another helps build the endurance dogs need for long hunts. Wrestling, tumbling, and playing with sticks or skin develop muscle strength, balance, and physical coordination. As quintessential pack animals, wild dogs’ strength lies in numbers, and so coordination, cooperation, and anticipation are crucial skills for the next generation to learn. Games like
chase and tug-of-war mimic the cooperative tactics adults use to exhaust fast prey. Pups must also learn how to read each other’s movements and anticipate other pack members’ actions, laying the foundation for the teamwork that will help them thrive. A particularly strong hierarchy sets wild dogs apart from many other species. Pups learn canine body language, communication, and the importance of restraint during games. Playful wrestling and interactions strengthen social bonds and trust among littermates and older pack members. Like us, animals are social animals who learn from one another. And like us, their endurance depends on the passing down of knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.
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