On Dogs as Human Companions

Found via: GeekPress.

The Economist has printed a wonderfully interesting article on canine behavior: Sensitive Souls: How Dogs Became Man's Best Friend.

No one, not even cat owners would (or should) dispute that no other species on the face of the Earth has made the same sympathetic/empathetic [and copacetic :)] connection with humankind as the canine. Yes, I know I am leaning strongly towards anthropomorphizing (sp?) the relationship, but hey, I've known several dogs who were/are friendlier and more interesting characters than a lot of people I know.

Back to the point, the article reports on a study that shows evidence that dogs understand and/or interpret social cues from humans more readily than other species, including chimps, who are thought to be much smarter. The article (not necessarily the author of the study) makes the connection that because of this, man has readily adopted the dog as a live-in companion. Read the article for more info on the study.

I think this is very interesting, and from having lived most of my life with dogs as pets, I have much anecdotal evidence to support the assertion.

My two current canine pals, Judy and Watson, are very good at understanding my cues. Especially Judy, my 13 y.o. female Black Lab, who has grown considerably deaf over the last year. She can no longer interpret verbal commands (unless I yell, which is extremely rare) or even any verbal inflection, but she and I have worked out quite a set of hand cues, and other signals. She knows to come to the door when it is dark outside if I flicker the back door light. She comes when I flex both hands, retreats to the bedroom when I make a "shoo" motion with my left hand, and knows tha clapping means "Good Girl", as her whole body wags.

Watson, my 12 y.o. Yellow Lab will follow hand signals when we are outside playing fetch. If I throw the dummy and he does not see it fly, I can direct him. If it is in tall grass, he'll look to me for a "hint". He certainly understands the words "suppertime", "cookie", "walk", and "Go get a baby", which is his command to find one of his stuffed plush toys for the two of us to play with.

Not exactly the same verbal cues the researcher looked at, but they work for me.