Dogs, Primates, and People: A Review

People are assisted by dogs in many activities which may bring them into contact with primates, often leading to negative interactions and outcomes for one or other species. People’s perceptions and behaviour towards dogs vary and are influenced by cultural and other factors. We present incidents of dog-primate harassment and predation found during a literature review. We found that dog-primate contact can result in negative interactions and outcomes for one or other species, and we discuss how dogs influence primate populations globally via indirect interactions such as the transmission of disease. Observing direct interactions between dogs and primates is exceedingly rare due to the difficulty associated with observing these encounters, and we introduce single-species occupancy modelling as a method to conduct non-invasive research to investigate the effects of dogs on primates. We explore methods for mitigating dog-primate interactions. Finding effective ways to manage dog populations in collaboration with their owners and/or changing those owners’ behaviour in relation to their dogs is emerging as yet another challenge for primate conservation practitioners.