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August 27, 2014

Reading Humans: One way dogs really are better than cats

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In the most common test of a dog’s innate abilities, a treat is slipped into one of multiple opaque containers;
in order to win the treat, the dog must determine, with the help of a human, just which container. When the human points to the correct location, dogs do great. But they also succeed when someone merely nods in the right direction, or places a marker by the right container, or points to the right container while walking toward the wrong one.
The American Scholar: Reading Humans - Jessica Love

Posted by gerardvanderleun at August 27, 2014 10:04 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.

Your Say

Dogs are better at reading human's body language than primates. It's almost like someone smart designed dogs to be man's best friend. Good boy!

Posted by: tscottme [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 28, 2014 12:22 AM

Man’s Best Friend

"Gentlemen of the jury, a man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness.
He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow, and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master's side.
He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world.
He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.
When all other friends desert, he remains.
When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens." - George Graham Vest

Posted by: chasmatic [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 28, 2014 6:44 AM

Cats are smarter than dogs. The know humans exist to serve them, and they don't care what we think about it.

Posted by: Fat Man [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 28, 2014 12:54 PM

Heelers are the smartest dogs I have ever seen.
Scary smart.
Anticipatory smart.
Compared to a Heeler, 2nd place is really 10th place.
My next mutt may be a tri-colored blue heeler, a gurl.

And why do I have to keep signing in to this typepad thing all the time?

Posted by: ghostsniper [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 28, 2014 6:59 PM

A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: Talking Dog For Sale

He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador Retriever sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says "So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.

"I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running. But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals.

"I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

"Ten dollars," the guy says.

"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

"Because he's a liar. He never did any of that shit."

Posted by: chasmatic [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 29, 2014 8:13 AM

@chas -- Your homage to dogs and dog stories are the best. Please collect them somewhere on your site for dummies like me to download for friends with dogs and kids. It seems that little kids learn a lot of worthwhile things from dogs.

Posted by: Stug Guts [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 29, 2014 10:41 AM

Other than that, cats are better. ☺ 

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[PS: good one, chasmatic. I LOL'd!]

Posted by: Smokey [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 29, 2014 1:51 PM

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