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2 days ago
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There's nothing more frustrating than trying to get your dog to perform a trick as they simply blink back at you.
But this could be man's best friend trying to communicate with us, according to a study.
Researchers analysed the responses of 54 domestic dogs to videos of other dogs blinking, nose licking or simply looking back at them with an attentive, still face.
Results showed that dogs blinked more during the blink video compared to both other videos, suggesting they mimic what they see.
The findings suggest that blinking could play a role in dogs' communication, the team said.
The team, from the University of Parma, published their findings in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
'In dogs, blinking has been considered as an appeasement behaviour used to express non-aggressive intentions towards conspecifics [members of the same species]', they wrote.
'Consequently its synchronization within a group could be a sign of a mutual communication or understanding.
There's nothing more frustrating than trying to get your dog to perform a trick as they simply blink back at you. But this could be man's best friend trying to communicate with us, according to a study
Researchers analysed the responses of 54 domestic dogs to videos of other dogs blinking, nose licking or simply looking back at them with an attentive, still face. Results showed that dogs blinked more during the blink video compared to both other videos, suggesting they mimic what they see
'Reciprocal blinking in dogs might help to facilitate…social bonds, cope with frustration and communicate non-aggressive intentions.'
They added that they did not see an increase the number of nose licks a dog performed when they were watching the nose licking video.
This suggests it 'does not hold the same function as the blink', they wrote.
In fact, dogs who watched the nose licking video were likely to increase the display of their sclera – the whites of their eyes – which has previously been linked to feeling stressed.
A separate study, carried out in 2022, found that humans can detect six different emotions in our canine companions.
When 105 people were shown pictures of three different dog breeds, they correctly identified feelings of happiness, sadness, curiosity, fear, disgust and anger in the animals with an accuracy well above chance.
Professor Harris Friedman, senior author of the study, from the University of Florida and Harvard University, said: 'Some people think there is no way to tell what a dog is thinking just from their faces, as they are not as expressive as our own, while others think they can look into the eyes of their pet and know what is in their soul.
'Our findings indeed suggest people that can naturally understand their dogs' emotions from their facial expressions, which is very interesting.'
IS DOG INTELLIGENCE AKIN TO HUMAN INTELLIGENCE?
Dogs' abilities to learn are varied, much like humans' abilities, according to WebMD.
Dogs that were bred in order to hunt, retrieve or herd are faster learners because they are inherently quicker on their feet.
Similarly, dogs bred to guard livestock or track scents are usually slower.
A new study has found that mental deterioration among older dogs can be staved off if the dogs complete brain teasers on a touch screen (file photo)
The key in training your dog, WebMD says, comes down to knowing what your dog was bred to accomplish.
However, all dogs can be trained to follow simple commands, according to trainers.
WebMD reports that the following are the most naturally intelligent dog breeds:
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
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