of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #4 Jan 24th 2022
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TIDBITS® LOVES DOGS by Janet Spencer Come along with Tidbits as we explore the bond between humans and dogs! PEOPLE & POINTERS • One researcher tested the ability of three different mammal species to understand a simple human gesture: pointing. First with chimps, then with wolves, and finally with dogs, he placed a treat underneath a cup, with an identical cup next to it with no treat. He would then point to the cup with the hidden treat. Chimps were unable to understand the gesture; so were wolves. But more often than not, dogs understood the clue and went for the hidden treat with a high degree of success. Why is this? The theory was that because dogs have lived alongside humans for ages, whereas chimps and wolves have not, they have an innate understanding of human communication methods hardwired into their DNA. • However, when the same experiment was repeated first among wolves who had been raised by humans, and then with shelter dogs who had very little contact with humans, the results changed: the wolves understood, while the dogs did not. When dog trainers worked with the shelter dogs in a deliberate attempt to teach them the meaning of a point, they were able to learn it usually with only 30 minutes of training or less. (cont)
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