Posted on 08/21/2008 6:11:16 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Dogs are becoming more intelligent and are even learning morals from human contact, scientists claim.
They say the fact that dogs' play rarely escalates into a fight shows the animals abide by social rules.
During one study, dogs which held up a paw were rewarded with a food treat.
When a lone dog was asked to raise its paw but received no treat, the researchers found it begged for up to 30 minutes.
But when they tested two dogs together but rewarded only one, the dog which missed out soon stopped playing the game.
Dr Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna, who led the study, said: 'Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity. I would prefer not to call it a sense of fairness, but others might.'
The first Canine Science Forum in Budapest was attended by more than 200 experts to discuss what is going on inside the mind of a dog.
Human's inclination to invest dogs with human-like states of mind isn't as unscientific as it might appear as they really do have some remarkable mental skills that allow them to thrive in their strange habitat - our world.
Domestic dogs evolved from grey wolves as recently as 10,000 years ago since when their brains have shrunk so a wolf-sized dog has a brain around 10 per cent smaller than its wild ancestor.
Dr Peter Pongracz from Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, and colleagues have produced evidence dog barks contain information that people can understand.
They found even people who have never owned a dog can recognise the emotional 'meaning' of barks produced in various situations, such as when playing, left alone and confronted by a stranger.
His team has now developed a computer program that can aggregate hundreds of barks recorded in various settings and boil them
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Since his "conversion," Rambler is more helpful. He doesn’t chase squirrels into the bushes, and he tolerates the neighbor’s cat. He even has "corrected" his owners. Monroe says she and her husband fought one night and retreated to separate rooms. Rambler came to one room, then another with a "disapproving look." He wouldn’t stop until they reconciled before bed.
does this mean that there is hope for liberals?
I know living with a dog has taught me to eat my own feces.
As long as you don’t start sniffing strangers asses, we’re ok.
I always thought it was the other way around.
My dog taught me how to wrestle. Sometimes I even win.
Being able to do that might mean the difference between life and death once “The Bad Times” come... on or about late January 2009.
That and having a lot of ammo on hand...
;^)
Or eating STRANGERS” feces...
I learned the joys of whizzing outdoors. I was then arrested. :/
” ... dog barks contain information that people can understand.
They found even people who have never owned a dog can recognise the emotional ‘meaning’ of barks produced in various situations, such as when playing, left alone and confronted by a stranger. “
It took a study to figure this out?!?!??? OMG that is basic dog ownership 101.
I can even ‘speak’ to our Sheltie imitating her own barks/growls/snarls/etc.
I can even tell who’s come home [which family member] by the bark.
my brother learned how to lick his balls.
Dogs are the greatest.
It's called 'pack psychology' and it's been around a lot longer than humans.
Dogs are pack animals. By definition, a social hierarchy. I don’t think it can be related to “morals.”
I have to constantly remind my wife of this. She let’s our Boston Terrier “boss” her around and be dominate. Big mistake with a dog. The dog won’t listen to her at all or obey any command.
I walk in the room, snap my finger and point at the ground. The dog will immediately stop and sit down and stay until I tell it is OK to proceed.
No.
Dogs have larger brains.
“learning morals”
Interesting.
This must mean that there are morals. But I thought that there were no morals [liberal dogma]. That humans are no higher than dogs! [liberal dogma].
I’m confused.
His own or the dog’s?
Is sniffing everyone’s butt immoral? Because they haven’t learned about that yet apparently.
“His own or the dog’s?”
hahahahahhaha good one.
I don't doubt that a bit. I also know that our dogs can distinguish when it's one of our cars from as far as a block away.
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