Posted on 11/28/2007 7:54:46 PM PST by blam
Dogs display aspects of human intelligence
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 6:01pm GMT 28/11/2007
Dog lovers have long claimed that their pets are smarter than many of us realise.
New evidence to back that view comes from research published today which concludes that, like us, our canine friends are able to form abstract concepts.
Friederike Range and colleagues from the University of Vienna, Austria, show for the first time that dogs are able to learn how to classify complex colour photographs and place them into categories in the same way that humans do.
Training stimuli: Images of dogs and landscapes are used to test dogs' recognition of abstract concepts
"Dogs were for a long time considered to be just pets - so showing that they are able to also form abstract concepts maybe gives their cognitive abilities more credit," she said.
However, the abstract concept they were able to grasp in this pioneering experiment was rather familiar, that of "dog."
The team reports in the journal Animal Cognition a clever way to show that the dogs are not picking up subtle signals from their handlers: the dogs successfully demonstrate their learning through the use of computer touch-screens, eliminating potential human influences.
Four dogs were shown both landscape and dog photographs simultaneously and were rewarded with food if they selected the dog picture on the touch screen.
Then they were shown a new set of dog and landscape pictures. They continued to reliably select the dog photographs, demonstrating that they could transfer their knowledge gained in the training phase to a new circumstance, even though they had never seen those particular pictures before.
In a second test, the dogs were faced with a choice between a new dog pasted on a familiar landscape and a completely new landscape with no dog, In this case, they reliably selected the landscape with the dog.
"These results show that the dogs were able to form a concept, that is 'dog', although the experiment cannot tell us whether they recognized the dog pictures as actual dogs," said Dr Range.
"Using touch-screen computers with dogs opens up a whole world of possibilities on how to test the cognitive abilities of dogs."
The dogs that took part were a Border Collie (Maggie), one Border Collie mix (Lucy), one Australian Shepherd (Bertl), and one mongrel (Todor). Two dogs were male (Bertl, Todor), two were female (Maggie, Lucy).
In earlier work, the team showed striking similarities between humans and dogs in the way they imitate others, showing they do more than copy. They also interpet what they see.
Yes it is, and he’s a handsome devil too boot.
I caught her decimating the cat's food, which my son had left too close to the counter edge after he refilled it.
Once she learns that she can jump over the baby gate (she has already figured out how to worm her way under it) I think we're doomed . . .
Oh, thank you for the clip of Skidboot! I have seen him on tv a couple times, and always wondered how the owner could make us all think that dog was so smart. (big grin)
BTW - a couple kleenex’s were used, watching this.
A while back, I watched a woman trying to quiet a barking dog. She looked at him and said “Quiet, or you’re getting a bath!”
I didn’t hear another peep out of the dog.
LOL I’ve done the same thing! Bath is the word to be dreaded around our house. Ours would rather be skinned and salted than have clean water and soap touch them. Luckily, they’re short haired and fairly clean unless they get in the marsh or roll in something.
This doesn’t surprise me.
What loves a human more than his beloved dog? God gave them intelligence for a reason.
God bless my wonderful pets. You’re the best pals I could ever have.
My youngest son told me—after my beloved chi was run over and had to be taken to a vet a couple hundred miles away, a specialty vet—read $$$$$.
“Mom, I know who you love—I get hurt, you tell me not to get blood all over the bathroom. Dog gets hurt, you take him to Raleigh!” LOLOLO
Our monster Maltese (14 pounds) recognizes dogs and other critters on TV and then tries to jump through the screen. Every time my Mom (84) see this, she reminds us that some Boston Terrier won 100K on America’s Funniest Videos for the same dumb trick.
Notice he isn't exposing his rear end, the way a human plummer would.
Three words: Birds nest soup
Re: Halloween decorations...My girls do not like the ones with human shapes...They think they look sinister and want nothing to do with them.
BATH isn’t too bad.. Solly has been known to jump in the tub on her own.
I’m sorry for your loss..
Hard to lose them to old age and sickness, harder to lose them to an accident.
How cute.
My Labs cut their teeth on rocks..
They will chew anything including rebar..
It might be something in her diet....
She could have a meat or a grain allergy.
That special dog leave a hole in you. You might learn to love again but the hole remains.
5 years for my Brittany.
My little Sister has a Great GS that came from the humane society.
Underfed pup was dumped there..Could have been a breeder that didn’t like her looks.
Daughter was doing volunteer work there and fell in love with her.
She is a totally remarkable dog.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.