Scientists learned more about the emotions of dogs
October 21, 2017 | 11:37 |1302
Scientists confirm that dogs can use mimic expressions to communicate with people. Although, it remains a mystery what exactly they want to tell us... According to the research, the results of which are published in the Scientific Reports magazine, dogs can recognize the moment when people pay attention to them and control their facial expressions. During this research the dogs of 24 different breeds, from Labradors to Boxers, were placed in a room with a man who sometimes looked at the subjects, and at other times turned his backs on them.Arslan KEMALOV
Researchers found out that the dogs showed more mimic expressions, including raised eyebrows and sticking out tongue, and made more noise when a person paid attention to them. At the same time, the presence of treats for four-legged animals in the room did not affect the results of the experiment.
Another study also found that after the command to lie down on the ground, dogs take a lying position more often and stay there longer when the owner looks at them, i.e. pays attention.
“Dogs are sensitive to what we're doing,” said Paul Morris, Principal Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Portsmouth. “This study is further evidence that there is a true social connection between animals and humans”.
Dogs and people live and evolve together for about 30 thousand years and it is therefore normal that we have developed a strong connection with our furry friends. Moreover, the researchers note that for many years people have chosen and bred those breeds of dogs that were more inclined to interact with us. But the question, at what level this interaction and how many dogs can control it, remains open.
One study showed that dogs from the animal shelter find new owners more quickly if they often raise their eyebrows. The reason for this may lie in the fact that raising the eyebrows makes their eyes visually larger, or “infantile”, which in turn is due to our love for children. Of course, it's hard to say whether dogs raise their eyebrows consciously, but perhaps they have acquired this expression in an evolutionary way with the goal of getting more attention or more food from people, scientists explain.
Understanding this interaction can tell us more about how we and our four-legged friends evolved together, and how this social link works. Morris says: “We get the pets, because we want to interact with them. For us, it's exciting and cute, and mimic expressions are part of it”.
