Take that damned dog haters! :-)
Posted on 07/14/2021 5:00:29 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Domestic dogs show many adaptations to living closely with humans, but they do not seem to reciprocate food-giving according to a study, publishing July 4 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, led by Jim McGetrick and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria.
The researchers trained 37 domestic dogs to operate a food dispenser by pressing a button, before separating the button and dispenser in separate enclosures. In the first stage, dogs were paired with two unfamiliar humans one at a time. One human partner was helpful—pressing their button to dispense food in the dog's enclosure—and one was unhelpful. The researchers also reversed the set-up, with a button in the dog's enclosure that operated a food dispenser in the human's enclosure. They found no significant differences in the dogs' tendency to press the button for helpful or unhelpful human partners, and the human's behavior in the first stage did not affect the dog's behavior towards them in free interaction sessions after the trials.
Previous studies have demonstrated that dogs are capable of directing helpful behaviors towards other dogs that have helped them previously—a behavior known as reciprocal altruism—and research suggests dogs are also able to distinguish between cooperative and uncooperative humans. However, the present study failed to find evidence that dogs can combine these capabilities to reciprocate help from humans. This finding may reflect a lack of ability or inclination among dogs to reciprocate, or the experimental design may not have detected it. For example, the authors suggest that the dogs may not have understood the experiment because humans are typically the food-giver in the relationship, not the receiver, or because the dogs failed to recognize the connection between the human's helpful behavior and the reward.
The authors add: "In our study, pet dogs received food from humans but did not return the favor."
Take that damned dog haters! :-)
They needed a study for this? Dogs really don’t like you getting near their food bowl or treat — even after you just gave it to them.
“In our study, pet dogs received food from humans but did not return the favor.”
I guess they have never been on a hunt for pheasant or ducks with dogs.
They are beasts Phys.org. Sheesh. One of the best I might add. They are not image bearers of God.
The dogs wouldn’t bring back cooked pheasants or ducks.
Our cat gave us food all the time; squirrels, rabbits, mice...
Dogs are good for nothing. Barking, sh!tting, killing people occasionally. Lots of dogs have vanished from my neighborhood.
Have an indoor/outdoor cat. They are always bringing in little food presents. One time I got a dead bird delivered right to my pillow.
Ever heard of hunting dogs?
So they are more inclined to help out their own kind in that respect.
It must. be noted that they are totally unwilling to help out cats. Nope. Not going to happen.
Tell me about it! My dog has never, ever scratched me behind the ears. Little ingrate!
The results of this Scientific Study may very well be correct.
In 15 1/2 years, my dog has NOT ONCE put food on my plate, nor ever filled my glass with water. Not even Once.
And, after ALL I've done for her...
We could say the same thing about welfare free loaders
Study proves dogs don’t like Jim McGetrick and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria.
If it was not for global warming, these dogs would have.
Head slapping the pavement was a bonus!
Birds will often happily feed you whatever you just gave them
You probably wont want it though
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