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What in the World is Your Dog Thinking?
From the Q1 2010 Edition<< Back to Newsletter
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Since the earliest recorded history of man, dogs have been closely linked in our lives for their hunting skills, guarding abilities and warmth on a cold night. Many experts say that first, wolves learned to perform tasks and follow rules and they were rewarded with scraps of food. As wolves became more comfortable around people they eventually domesticated themselves and became man's best friend.
The social skills that dogs developed over time have resulted in the warm co-existence we enjoy with them in our culture today. But, what exactly goes on in the mind of a dog that contributes to their special connections with us?
Dr. Brian Hare, an Assistant Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University's Institute 
for Brain Sciences, is one scientist on a mission to find the answers. Hare clinically observes dogs to understand how evolution changes cognition. He is attempting to document canine psychology -- 'dog thinking' -- that currently does not exist in the field of brain science.
Hare recently established the Duke Canine Cognition Center (DCCC), a lab at Duke University, filled with cameras, microphones and a team of researchers. Each day, volunteer owners bring their dogs to this unusual lab where they are tested and evaluated. Hare uses a series of experiments, then records -- in great detail -- what dogs do when they are given commands and shown gestures. He looks closely at how dogs solve games and problems and how they interact with their owners. (PHOTO of DCCC courtesy of D.L. Anderson, www.dlanderson.com)
"Dogs have to learn how to interact with humans in much the same way that small children do," Hare points out. "I want to determine if dogs also think about their world and arrive at solutions as small children do. If they don't then how are they different? How do dogs figure out what we want and don't want? How do they interpret what our gestures mean?"
Before owners bring their dogs to the DCCC, they fill out a questionnaire that records breed characteristics, medical history, behavior, obedience traits, and home life. There are also questions that give owners a chance to express their dog's individuality, such as "Does your dog have any special abilities? Does your dog ever do anything that surprises you?" (PHOTO of DCCC courtesy of D.L. Anderson, www.dlanderson.com)
Hare and his staff evaluate each questionnaire and then choose experiments that are best suited to each dog. He is hoping to understand more about the effects of domestication on dog cognition, identify breed differences in problem solving skills and also understand the limits of how dogs think.
One type of test Hare conducts involves trust. Do dogs trust their owners more than strangers? We'd like to think that they do but the assumption has never been tested -- until now. Another test example is about what canine affection really means: a kiss from a dog might mean that he loves you or perhaps he is just trying to manipulate you for something he wants.
Why analyze dogs and not other animals? In the past, Hare has studied Chimpanzees, Bonobos and Great Apes. He found that primates aren't really very good at deciphering human cues and concluded that what makes dogs special is their ability to 'read' humans. "When you go to the Lemur Center," he shares, "the lemurs like you and they'll pay attention to you, but not the way a dog that's obsessed with you does. You can get dogs to do things and see what's going on inside their heads in a way that you can't with other animals."
"Dogs are all the same species," Hare continues "and they're very closely related genetically, but 
each breed is very different. Unlike primates, you can see how canine cognition has changed over time because of the variety of breeds. You can understand why dogs are different, why they're similar and why it is that some dogs can solve problems that other dogs can't."
Why hasn't dog cognition been seriously studied before? Hare believes that, until now, many scientists had misconceptions that dogs were totally "uninteresting and artificial." Of course, Hare intends to challenge that way of thinking with his findings. He'd also like to understand how we might help dogs become more effective companion (and service) animals.
One thing is certain though - in the end, no matter what we discover about how dogs actually think -- we will end up caring for them in the same way. We will continue to love our dogs for their loyalty and distinct personalities. We will celebrate them as remarkable 'thinking animals' that have a special place in our homes and in our hearts.
Brian Hare holds a Ph.D in Biological Anthropology and an M.A. in Anthropology from Harvard University, as well as a B.A in Anthropology and Psychology and Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University. For more information on the Duke Canine Cognition Center or to sign up your dog as a volunteer subject, visit: www.dukedogs.com
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Donna S. | Posted Jun 27, 2010 02:23 PM
Never have we had a dog that could anticipate what we're going to do more than our German Shepherd's. And we don't keep a tight schedule mind you...only bedtime. These Shepherd's seem to know our each and every move! I'm forever tripping over one especially as she feels she has to get to where I'm going first!
panda | Posted Jun 16, 2010 04:45 PM
love the idea hare has going on. iv allways considered dogs as having the intelligance of a four year old, then again i dont have kids. i have two dogs ones my girl meamo i could never teach her to fetch no matter what toy i bought or trick i tried, then i involved water with fetching. she still doesnt really fetch on land but loves to fetch if there is water involved. try bringing in something your dog loves with fetching. as far as bolting. our first trick for our shephard was to sit so no matter what b4 we did any thing we say sit.walks , car rides, beach, park in truck out of truck begore we go out side b4 you go in an out of kennel allways sit. just a thought.
Julia | Posted May 14, 2010 11:41 AM
In 1994 Stanley Coren published "The Intelligence of Dogs" which did a terrific job of investigating/explaining canine learning and intelligence, different kinds of intelligence, and differences among breeds. It's very readable and really opened my mind to how my dogs think. I'm thrilled to see this fascinating topic continuing to be pursued.
Brad | Posted May 04, 2010 11:39 AM
We were lucky to be involved in the experiments last year. Our 7 year old Aussie was fun to watch going through each of the tasks. As an R+ trainer, a clicker trainer, I get to see dogs learn everyday and it always amazes to see how quickly the behaviors are learned and how long lasting they are when trained with positive reinforcement.
Mark Haag | Posted Apr 30, 2010 03:17 PM
We have two Rotties, age 15 months, brother and sis, neutered/spayed. We are amazed watching them constantly play with each other, often interacting with us. They seem to have a decidedly "decision making / plan implementation mode" when they compete for our attention. They distract the other one with a toy or a chew item to pull the other dog's attention away from their owners' giving one of them special attention (petting/scratching/playing). The dog that successfully has distracted the other dog with a toy then gets rewarded by gaining sole attention from their owners. This goes on over and over, every day. They both win, they both lose, and they love it. So do I. Humorous as the dickens. But very decidedly, they act out a plan of their own making. They also seem to "decide" in advance on different chew items to use for distraction, they "decide" on a special way to hold the chew item or annoy the sibling with the noise or shaking or site of the chew toy they are holding. And they are rarely interested in having two of the same chew toys at the same time, they always want the other's chew toy. They rarely stop playing and are each other's best friend. Never have I seen a harsh moment between them except as part of the game, never have I seen them lose their patience. Crazy stuff. And they love to involve us in their games.
Julie H. Goodin | Posted Apr 19, 2010 03:18 PM
The above article makes sense. I have 2 Jack Russell terriers, they are distantly related,my male is almost 5yrs old and my girl is almost 3. Both were spayed/neutered at around 6mths. Liza learns tricks really fast while poor Louis is still working on trick number one. He is much more athletic and competitive than Liza, they have very different personalities, yet when I bought a brain teaser, treat dispensing toy, to the tune of $45, that was listed as the most difficult one to solve both were able to figure out how to work it in less than 15 seconds. I never cease to be amazed at how well they read my body language and often it seems they even read my mind.
Jill | Posted Apr 16, 2010 09:05 AM
Had to laugh with Joyce. We, too, have a german shorthair pointer that is constantly bouncing off the walls! Max is 4 now, but still acts like a puppy sometimes. (Who'm I kidding?! All the time!) Getting him to sit and stay is no longer a problem, but how do you stop him from whining?! It's like if his body isn't moving, his vocal cords are!
Dennis | Posted Apr 15, 2010 10:37 AM
Beside Joyce´s advice you must compromise with your dog and yourself in a 24/7 labour ... I have 2 Beagles and 2 Aussies and time has taught me that consistence, discipline and dedication are the key to become a dog's leader and partner ... try to start with a 10minutes/day routine and you'll see how constancy will bring you results
Joyce | Posted Apr 07, 2010 11:09 AM
Orval, we have a 2 1/2 yr old German Shorthair Pointer so I understand what you mean by "wound up tighter than an 8 day clock". One of the many things to do, when you go through a door, make the dog stay back so you are the first one to go thru the doorway. This teaches them you are the pack leader, not them. As for the bolting on lead, we use a pinch collar and it works fantastic. Much better than a choke chain for our dog. When you open her kennel door, make her sit until you have it open and stay there until you release her. If she gets up too soon, shut the door and try again. We also use hand motion for Sit, Down, etc. That way, when it is loud or she is too far away to hear us, we can just do the hand motion and she knows what we want her to do. Our dog is a female and this works great when males are trying to get on her, just motion for her to sit and the male is off. The library is a great resource for instructional books also. From obedience to tricks, etc.
orval | Posted Apr 05, 2010 11:17 AM
My comment is more a question. I have a 14month old chocolate lab I love her a lot, I have a hard time getting her to things like fetching, and she will bolt on me if she gets of her lead or sometimes when I open her kennel door. she does get exercised and walked. but she seems wound up tighter than an 8 day clock, can you give me a little advice? thanks Orval