Are you a dog person or are you more of a cat person? This has been a source of debate and debacle for a lot of people for quite a long time now. However, if you’re on team dog, then this article is definitely something that you can cheer about. It’s going to give you another reason to love dogs even more than you already do. Naturally, you trust your dog. You know that your dog is always going to be there for you whenever you need it. However, how do you know if your dog trusts you and those who are around you?
We all get so caught up with our own personal thoughts and feelings about our doggies. But when was the last time you considered the thoughts and feelings of your own little dog? Recent studies have revealed that dogs can actually analyze just how dependable and reliable a person truly is. If you’re interested in knowing more about this idea, then just continue to read on until the end of this article. Dogs are real detectives. It turns out that they’re really skilled snoopers. They can help us decide whether we can really come to rely on another person or not. They can teach us when to be trusting of other people and when to stay guarded.
This was actually a study that was conducted by famed Japanese scientist from the Kyoto University in Japan, Akiko Takaoka. He and his team of esteemed colleagues were curious about whether a dog would trust a person who would actually try to lie to it or deceive it. The researches went about the study by dividing the entire project into three separate parts. They wanted to find out if the dog could understand whether a person could be seen as trustworthy or not. This group of scientists has claimed that the findings of this study would shed some substantial light in the field of dogs’ behavioral studies. And indeed, the results are astonishing. The research has told us that dogs prefer a world of certainty, routine, and predictability. This is based on the analysis done by John Bradshaw, an expert from the University of Bristol.
In the original experiment, dog owners would point their dogs towards the direction of some kind of food or treat. The dogs would then run towards the container of food. After that, the dog owners would then point at an empty container of food. Upon approach, the dog would realize that they have been tricked by their own owners. These dogs already know that they are supposed to run towards objects that their owners would direct them at. That’s why it can be concluded that dogs do understand physical human gestures, especially when compared to verbal instructions. And when there are certain inconsistencies with these physical gestures, then a dog is found to become very nervous and stressed. These are the findings of the initial two parts of the experiment. In the final part of the experiment, the dog would cease to follow the pointing hand. The dogs ceased to believe in the instruction of the liars. In this study, 34 dogs were actually made to take part in the experiment. And out of all 34 dogs, there was a 100% consistency in the reactions that they had to the experiment. They all exhibited signs of distrust and disbelief in the people who had lied to them. According to the Animal Cognition Journal, dogs typically use the learnings they have from previous experiences to know whether a person is truly unreliable or not. Mr. Takaoka has expressed his desires to continue the experiment with other canines such as wolves since they closely resemble dogs. Another lesson that this study can teach us is that dogs are generally curious about learning new things.
It has already been proven in the past that dogs are able to read human gestures and facial expressions. Dogs are more than just cute playthings to have around the house. They are capable of great intellectual understanding and we are only starting to uncover more and more about how their minds function. They are a lot more intelligent than a lot of us are led to believe. They are able to analyze our gestures and they also know how to follow certain social cues.
The one thing that this study can teach you especially if you are a dog owner is that you should never lie to your dog. You always have to stay honest and true to your furry little pal because they don’t like being duped.
