Yep, believe it or not, dogs lie!
Pet owners know their furry friends have them wrapped around their fingers – er, paws.
Does your dog look extra cute before you leave for work?
Or maybe he plays dead to get carried home on a long walk?
A scientific study has recently confirmed what we all know – dogs lie to get what they want!
Exploring the Science Behind Dog Manipulation
For the study, published in Animal Cognition, researchers from Switzerland trained 27 dogs of different breeds between ages 1.5 and 14 years.
Scientists taught the dogs to distinguish between two women deemed“cooperative”or“competitive.”
The“cooperative”woman readily handed out treats, while the “competitive” woman presented treats and then kept them.
Throughout the test, dogs had the options of leading a human partner to one of three locations: a place with a favorite food item, a place with a non-preferred food item, or a third empty location.
After leading a partner, they always had the choice of guiding the“cooperative”woman to one of the locations.
The scientists found, after a few rounds, the dogs typically led the “competitive” woman to the empty location and the “cooperative” woman to the preferred food location.
The researchers concluded, ”These results show that dogs distinguished between the cooperative and the competitive partner, and indicate the flexibility of dogs to adjust their behavior and that they are able to use tactical deception.”
What Do These Results Mean for You?
Does your pup try to get your partner to feed him dinner even after he’s already eaten?
He’s not dumb!
He’s actually quite smart!
Dogs are loyal, wonderful animals.
Given the results of this study, perhaps dog owners should act with more precision when rewarding their pups and giving treats.
Furthermore, if your dog is manipulating you to get out of eating his dried kibble, consider a new food!
Wet canned or homemade food is more nutritious and appealing for dogs.
