Science Says Dogs Are Natural Detectors Of Bad People
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 IST
Dogs are natural detectives. Our ancestors knew it pretty well and we have kept our ancestral hunch within us. They can identify people for who they are. But then, in this day of science and facts, we don’t always believe in old wives’ tales. Many of us need some good scientific proof. If you are someone like that, we have good news for you – science shows that dogs can really identify if someone is a really sh*t person or not. The study mesmerized everyone but for us, dog lovers, it’s just one more thing to love our dogs more!
Are they lying?
Akiko Takaoka of the Kyoto University was the one who went forward in conducting the study. It was previously known that dogs wanted their world to be certain. The first experiment conducted was to see whether dogs trusted a person who had lied to them. The dog-owners would point out a food container to their dogs. The dogs, as usual, would run towards it. Then they will be pointed towards another container without food. Now, the dog’s been tricked. What’s he going to do now?
It’s already known that dogs understand human gestures and would run to any object their owner points at. But when these human gestures become inconsistent, it makes the dog nervous and confused. The next time, the dog won’t be heeding your command. He knows a liar and wouldn’t trust the dog owner anymore. All 34 dogs that had been used in this experiment showed the same result. At least they are pretty consistent in this regard. Based on experience, they can spot an unreliable person easily.
But how would dogs behave if their owner is treated badly?
Researchers also took up this question. In a recent study in Neuroscience and Behavioral studies, it was said that dogs adjust their behavior based on the behavior of people. Researchers tried to test it. They made the owners try to open a container and then ask for help from two other researchers. In the first case, one of the researchers would help while the other would remain passive. In the second case, one researcher would stand passively, while the other would refuse to help at all. So, what did all these prove? Interesting results came up when the researchers tried to treat the dog. The dog would take food from both the researchers in the first scenario, but when it came to the researcher who acted rudely, the dog would just ignore him.
Incredible, but true
Pretty unbelievable, isn’t it? The researchers didn’t want to believe it either. But it’s clear that dogs have a keen understanding of how social rules work. If you meet someone who’s a total douchebag, your dog would clearly understand it. They avoid people who mistreat their owners in any way. No wonder we love our doggos so much. They protect us even when we don’t know how vulnerable we actually are. Animals are amazing. We always underestimate their intelligence and yet they never cease to surprise us. However, dogs love to live in the present and don’t consider the future or past that much.
So be careful about how you treat your dog. Lie to them, and they won’t trust you anymore. And if your dog acts fishy around a friend, why don’t you start reconsidering the friendship? Maybe, deep down you know something’s off too.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
ALMATY: Hour upon hour, day upon day, Omir Bekali and other detainees in far western China's new indoctrination camps had to disavow the...
Recently posted . 214K views . 1 min read
If you have payed attention to the belly buttons of people on the beach or the members of your family, you have probably noticed that they have different shapes and...
Recently posted . 10K views . 2 min read
The Langya henipavirus has a place with a similar group of infections, including Nipah, which is known to kill up to 3/4 of people in extreme cases.
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
Queen's death: The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 was the oldest heir apparent in British history, became king immediately...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
More in Global
H-1B visas, most often used by Indian and Chinese companies, are generally approved for a period of three years. The visa norms have often been criticised for all...
Recently posted. 809 views . 1 min read
NEW DELHI: Popcorn may be a humble snack for movie goers but for India's multiplex industry it is the diet on which its revenue gets the much...
Recently posted. 696 views . 2 min read
On 2nd April every year we observe the World Autism Awareness Day to spread information about Autism Spectrum Disorder and help the global ASD population lead a hea...
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 5K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 3K views . 99 min read
Recently posted . 3K views . 67 min read
He bought three bottles of honey during his vacation in Jamaica. Customs officials said it was liquid meth. Lab tests showed it wasn't.
<...
Recently posted. 777 views . 1 min read
The silver and bronze ‘nummi’ coins, dating from between 240AD and 320AD, were discovered in a farmer’s field near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. ...
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read