The dog — man's best friend, or just pretending?
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a scene from the movie "Hachiko"
Dogs are considered to be among the first Pets. Scientists still can't say for sure when exactly people have tamed these creatures, but the most common assumption States that this occurred between 10 and 14 thousand years ago, stone age. Since dogs are considered our best friends who will never leave us in trouble. Remember only the dog Hachiko who waited for his master at the station for nine years until, until he died — what better proof of their loyalty? In the story, there are many other proofs of devotion to our four-legged friends, but American psychologist Joshua van Bourg (Joshua Van Bourg) as a thought — what if dogs just pretend to be loyal companions to benefit?
According to the researcher, many stories about dogs-rescue and full of romance movies does not prove their selfless desire to save people. After all, who knows what goes on in the minds of these creatures? Maybe they're saving people for selfish reasons, wanting to get tasty food or a Pat on the stomach? Given these issues, Joshua van Bourg got in touch with Professor Clive Wine (Clive Wynne), who studies the interaction of people and dogs. Together they developed a series of experiments that helped them understand how much dogs are interested in the salvation of their masters.
photo Clive Wynn with your puppy
Faithful dog
In a scientific experiment involved 60 dogs, each of which was assigned the passage of the three tests. The tests were generally the same — the owner of every animal was hiding in the metal box, the output of which was blocked by the metal wall. But the circumstances in each case were different, which makes the test even had different names:
the-
the
- in "test disaster" masters pretended was in trouble and called their dogs to help; the
- in "read test" the hosts sat inside the box and just read the newspaper aloud; the
- in "food test" the researchers put the food in the empty box in front of dogs.
In the first test of their masters, rescued 20 dogs from 60. The researchers counted the "rescue" just in case, if the animal self-the fusuma. This was dealt with not so many dogs, and the rest though, and showed interest in the cries of the owners, but did not understand how to help them. It is important to note that people were forbidden to call the pet by name — in some cases this could be perceived by the dog as a command to be executed contrary to their true desires.
In the test, where the hosts read aloud a newspaper, a septum was removed 16 dogs from 60. Researchers believe that animals were trying to save your home, and just wanted them to find them and stay with them. In the third test got to feed 19 dogs — it seems that food for them was just as important as the life of the owners. Probably, at this point, Joshua van Bourg rejoiced, because this fact is almost proved that dogs just pretend to be our friends.
rescue Dogs
But in the course of further work, the study was turned on its head. In the framework of the "food test," many dogs have learned to open the iron box, so the researchers wondered — what if with this knowledge they are more successful will save their owners? Dog owners again climbed into the box and started calling for their favorites to help. At this time, due to the ability to move the partition, the hosts saved 84% dogs.
Dog happy to save us, but first they need to learn this
Outcome proved that dogs really want to save their owners, but they need to know how to do it. Only one desire is not enough for them, because not knowing what to do, they can just in a panic running around in distress of the owner. However, in history there are cases when the barking of dogs saving people from the effects of fire and other emergencies.
If you look at the interaction between people and dogs a wider view, even the study cannot fully answer the main question — why the dog want to save their masters? What motivates them: affection, dependence, expectation of praise or true love? The scientific answer to this question is still no.
Finally, if you are a happy owner of a four-legged friend, it is recommended to read the article of my colleague Daria Yelets. In it she talked about how to determine . Many believe that one dog year equals seven human, but it is not so.
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