The contretemps over when dogs were domesticated is an indictment of how little we truly understand our canine companions, of which there are a billion or so worldwide and 10 million in the UK. It is only in the past decade that the innermost workings of the canine brain have been truly revealed and, even then, in mere bite-sized pieces.
The average dog’s IQ, the experts have determined, is roughly as sophisticated as that of a 2½-year-old baby’s. Some breeds are smarter than others, with border collies top of the scale and Afghans at the bottom. Then again, perhaps the Afghan hound’s dumbness is a sign of superior intelligence? I once spent a day looking after a lordly Afghan. Fed it. Poop-scooped it. Fetched the frisbee for it. Hunted under the sofa for its favourite toy. I worked like a dog. I was its dogsbody. Who, then, was the idiot and who the intellect?
The key to comprehending canines is co-evolution. As humans and wolves began to work and live together, wolves that socialised well with humans passed on their desirable and desired genes. However, the two species also ‘rewired’ each other, which goes some way to explaining why neurotic Shadows may be helped by antidepressant drugs. This ‘rewiring’ has particularly affected the pooch IQ.
Pooch is derived from puppy, itself derived from the French word poupée, for doll. Your bow-wow will appreciate this lexicographical snippet, as dogs understand your words and not only, as commonly supposed, the tone of your voice. Indeed, one border collie named Chaser has learned the names of 1,022 different toys and, when commanded to pick up a specific toy, she retrieves the correct one about 95% of the time.
Ranking the cuteness of dogs? You might as well rank the beauty of flowers. Yet a study has claimed to
Can You Read Your Dog’s Mind?
Some people think animals can read our minds. But can we do the same? Pet psychics insist the answer is yes – with a little work, of course. But remember, whether or not you communicate telepathically with your dog, the bottom line is that it should be fun, safe and give you a chance to spend quality time with your dog. You don’t need to be a psychic to know that’s what really counts.
History of Dogs and Mind Reading
Historically, humans have been obsessed with mind reading for centuries. There are stories dating back thousands of years of people being able to do “magic” by telling the future and reading minds. People have learned tricks, that seem to help them to have sudden bouts of clairvoyance.
It seems that dogs, too, have picked up on these abilities and have had an uncanny ability to tell what their human is thinking for a long time. Things that humans and dogs look at our body language, people’s habits, and things they say. This can be helpful in many situations and annoying in others, like when youre late and trying to get somewhere in a hurry.
Can My Dog Read My Mind? | Extra Credit
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