Research has shown that 'genius' dogs who can learn lots of instructions often tilt their head when they hear their owner's speak.
Some genius dogs can learn the names of over 100 toys, new research has found. Those that can pass the toy test – understanding the names of two or more of their favourite playthings and retrieving them on request – are so-called Gifted Word Learner dogs.
These gifted dogs have helped researchers to understand a behaviour that has never previously been studied: the head tilt.
Much like humans have a preference for one side of their body, dogs exhibit a preferred paw or nostril. These asymmetric behaviours include tilting the head, but until now, it's been unclear when and why it happens.
New research, published in the Animal Cognition journal, suggests that dogs tilt their head when they process something meaningful, or when they expect to be told something important.
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www.sciencefocus.com
Some genius dogs can learn the names of over 100 toys, new research has found. Those that can pass the toy test – understanding the names of two or more of their favourite playthings and retrieving them on request – are so-called Gifted Word Learner dogs.
These gifted dogs have helped researchers to understand a behaviour that has never previously been studied: the head tilt.
Much like humans have a preference for one side of their body, dogs exhibit a preferred paw or nostril. These asymmetric behaviours include tilting the head, but until now, it's been unclear when and why it happens.
New research, published in the Animal Cognition journal, suggests that dogs tilt their head when they process something meaningful, or when they expect to be told something important.
More...
Scientists discover what's going on inside a dog's mind when they tilt their head
Research has shown that 'genius' dogs who can learn lots of instructions often tilt their head when they hear their owner's speak.
www.sciencefocus.com