Dogs understand people much more than anyone ever thought before. In a recent study published in Springer's Animal Cognition by biologists from Abertay University in Dundee, UK, researchers found that dogs pay close attention to their human's behavior, so much so that one day they may be able to use what they have learned. to predict it.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Dogs understand people much more than ever thought before. In a recent study published in Springer's Animal Cognition byAbertay University of Dundee, in the UK, researchers found that dogs pay close attention to their human's behavior, so much so that one day they may be able to use what they have learned to predict it.
While it is certain that all dogs possess the ability to follow the directions given to them by humans, there is a strong debate on the origin of this link: is it something innate, also thanks to years and years of selection, or is it something you learn? The results of this latest research suggest that it is a mix of both.
“In this study we looked at three different groups of dogs: highly trained, domestic dogs and abandoned dogs in an animal shelter. We thought the dogs' level of training might affect their ability to perform their assigned tasks, but we were surprised to find that this actually made no difference, ”explains Clare Cunningham.
The scientists observed the behavior of 24 dogs and their reactions to unspoken commands from different people, such as moving to a point. It wasn't the level of training that made the real difference, but the level of familiarity the dog had with the person who addressed him. The more he knew her, the more he was able to understand her.
“And this was interesting because it shows that, in addition to having a genetic predisposition to follow human orders, this ability is accentuated by the 'knowledge' of their humans. This suggests that dogs know what their owners want them to do, improving their skills beyond genetics, ”adds Cunningham.
Still doubts about the extraordinary intelligence of these animals, which can read, and even predict, human behavior? The beauty is that these skills could be transmitted from one generation to the next: over time, therefore, we will see them more and more capable of understanding us. The question perhaps is whether we will be able to keep up with them.
Roberta Ragni
