Dogs Really Are Clever!
It is beyond dispute that our dogs can think. They grasp connections in a flash, often even faster than their two-legged companions. Dogs have a deep understanding of time and space and are extremely fond of carrying out tasks. I recommend that you find out for yourself just how clever your four-legged friend actually is. For example, a little test can be carried out, best in the garden or on a meadow, but ideally without onlookers who could distract the animal.
A vivid example for training at home
Place a bowl perhaps on the terrace and put clearly visible food in it. Then sit down nearby on a chair with a newspaper and hold the newspaper towards the dog, who is sitting next to a second person. At the same time, this second person forbids the dog to go to the food. The person then occupies themselves nearby but keeps the animal firmly in view. Now it is extremely interesting to observe what the dog does. How long will it take, do you think, until it goes to the food after all? It is also important here to take the dog's normal behaviour into account in your considerations.
- Assessing cognitive abilities through targeted tests
- Observing risk assessment in various situations
- Promoting social competence and problem-solving
- Lifelong storage of learned experiences in the brain
In a second step, you turn the chair around and turn your back to the dog. The second person, too, no longer actively monitors the dog. Does the animal realise that it is now much easier to pinch the food? Watch closely whether and how its behaviour changes at this moment.
The social competence of our four-legged friends
In this context, one must bear in mind that dogs, as descendants of wolves and as territorial creatures, can assess risks very precisely. Furthermore, thanks to their keen powers of observation, dogs also try to assess us humans and to anticipate how we will react. Various scientific studies have already confirmed that dogs are much cleverer than generally thought and possess a very pronounced social competence. Everything a dog observes or has once learned is stored in the brain for life and is immediately applied again in future tasks and problems.
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The content of the articles is for general information purposes only and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a veterinarian. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be construed as such.
