Formation of a family bond is important to be successful for raising young for many species. The family bond ensures a food supply and sometimes training for the developing young and some protection from enemies or predators. "Releaser" behavior initiated by the young animal stimulates the adult to feed its offspring. Puppies biting the lips of adult canids cause the adults to regurgitate food. Young gulls pecking the adult's beak or baby penguins pecking at the gape of the bill elicit a like reaction. Greeting and warning behaviors protect the young. An adult crane seeing a coyote gives a call that causes the young sand hill crane to drop flat and remain motionless until the adult sounds the "all clear". Without key releasers specific to each species, parents might well mistake their young for food or threats and eat them. Where the male parent does not normally participate in raising the young these protective mechanisms are not developed. Such males often destroy young when they encounter them. Bears are good examples but it also applies to some solitary cat species. Many amphibians reptiles and fish have no parental/offspring ties at all and the young may be eaten by the parents when they are encountered.

Golden retriever with puppies