Displacement behaviours

When an animal is in a state of extreme arousal but does not have the possibility to exhibit its normal reaction, it will respond by exhibiting an activity that is not directly related to the context. The contexts in which these behaviours emerge often involve conflict (fight/flight).
These behaviours include eating grass, drinking, self-grooming, destruction of objects, coprophagy, digging, scratching, manipulating the environment and playing with toys.
(Timbergen, 1952; Hubrecht et al., 1992; Pageat, 1998; Beerda et al., 1999)

This female German Shepherd has grabbed and is carrying a plastic food bowl, and after having spotted the photographer is exhibiting signs of alert.

VIDEO

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Video filmed during a behavioural evaluation. The male Pit Bull was seized by authorities during a raid that interrupted a dog fight in a foreign country. He exhibits mouthing and possessive behaviours towards rocks and stones, bricks and even cement. This behaviour probably first emerged as a displacement activity and coping strategy under conditions of extreme isolation and confinement, then developed into a compulsive behaviour.

dilated pupils<>drinking