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Living with humans has taught dogs morals, say scientists
The Daily Mail UK ^ | 21st August 2008 | Daily Mail Reporter

Posted on 08/21/2008 6:11:16 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

Dogs are becoming more intelligent and are even learning morals from human contact, scientists claim.

They say the fact that dogs' play rarely escalates into a fight shows the animals abide by social rules.

During one study, dogs which held up a paw were rewarded with a food treat.

When a lone dog was asked to raise its paw but received no treat, the researchers found it begged for up to 30 minutes.

But when they tested two dogs together but rewarded only one, the dog which missed out soon stopped playing the game.

Dr Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna, who led the study, said: 'Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity. I would prefer not to call it a sense of fairness, but others might.'

The first Canine Science Forum in Budapest was attended by more than 200 experts to discuss what is going on inside the mind of a dog.

Human's inclination to invest dogs with human-like states of mind isn't as unscientific as it might appear as they really do have some remarkable mental skills that allow them to thrive in their strange habitat - our world.

Domestic dogs evolved from grey wolves as recently as 10,000 years ago since when their brains have shrunk so a wolf-sized dog has a brain around 10 per cent smaller than its wild ancestor.

Dr Peter Pongracz from Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, and colleagues have produced evidence dog barks contain information that people can understand.

They found even people who have never owned a dog can recognise the emotional 'meaning' of barks produced in various situations, such as when playing, left alone and confronted by a stranger.

His team has now developed a computer program that can aggregate hundreds of barks recorded in various settings and boil them

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Pets/Animals; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: agriculture; animalhusbandry; behavior; canine; canines; dietandcuisine; dog; doggieping; dogs; domestication; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; huntergatherers; wolves
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Related thread: Woman convinced her dog knows Jesus
Since his "conversion," Rambler is more helpful. He doesn’t chase squirrels into the bushes, and he tolerates the neighbor’s cat. He even has "corrected" his owners. Monroe says she and her husband fought one night and retreated to separate rooms. Rambler came to one room, then another with a "disapproving look." He wouldn’t stop until they reconciled before bed.

1 posted on 08/21/2008 6:11:16 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: Alex Murphy

does this mean that there is hope for liberals?


2 posted on 08/21/2008 6:13:41 AM PDT by machogirl
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To: Alex Murphy; Jersey Republican Biker Chick

I know living with a dog has taught me to eat my own feces.


3 posted on 08/21/2008 6:16:14 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
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To: Owl_Eagle

As long as you don’t start sniffing strangers asses, we’re ok.


4 posted on 08/21/2008 6:18:14 AM PDT by tuffydoodle (Shut up voices, or I'll poke you with a Q-Tip again.)
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To: Alex Murphy

I always thought it was the other way around.


5 posted on 08/21/2008 6:18:51 AM PDT by WayneS (And now I shall return to my hovel and cling to my guns ... until it is time to go to Church)
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To: Owl_Eagle

My dog taught me how to wrestle. Sometimes I even win.


6 posted on 08/21/2008 6:19:41 AM PDT by Sam's Army
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To: Owl_Eagle

Being able to do that might mean the difference between life and death once “The Bad Times” come... on or about late January 2009.

That and having a lot of ammo on hand...

;^)


7 posted on 08/21/2008 6:21:12 AM PDT by WayneS (What the hell is wrong with these people?)
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To: tuffydoodle

Or eating STRANGERS” feces...


8 posted on 08/21/2008 6:21:42 AM PDT by WayneS (What the hell is wrong with these people?)
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To: Owl_Eagle

I learned the joys of whizzing outdoors. I was then arrested. :/


9 posted on 08/21/2008 6:24:16 AM PDT by Impy (Spellcheck hates Obama, you should too.)
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To: Alex Murphy

” ... dog barks contain information that people can understand.

They found even people who have never owned a dog can recognise the emotional ‘meaning’ of barks produced in various situations, such as when playing, left alone and confronted by a stranger. “

It took a study to figure this out?!?!??? OMG that is basic dog ownership 101.

I can even ‘speak’ to our Sheltie imitating her own barks/growls/snarls/etc.

I can even tell who’s come home [which family member] by the bark.


10 posted on 08/21/2008 6:24:37 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur)
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To: Alex Murphy

my brother learned how to lick his balls.


11 posted on 08/21/2008 6:25:35 AM PDT by palomonte
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To: Alex Murphy

Dogs are the greatest.


12 posted on 08/21/2008 6:26:23 AM PDT by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts and guns made America great.)
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To: Alex Murphy
"'Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity. I would prefer not to call it a sense of fairness, but others might.'"

It's called 'pack psychology' and it's been around a lot longer than humans.

13 posted on 08/21/2008 6:26:35 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Alex Murphy

Dogs are pack animals. By definition, a social hierarchy. I don’t think it can be related to “morals.”

I have to constantly remind my wife of this. She let’s our Boston Terrier “boss” her around and be dominate. Big mistake with a dog. The dog won’t listen to her at all or obey any command.

I walk in the room, snap my finger and point at the ground. The dog will immediately stop and sit down and stay until I tell it is OK to proceed.


14 posted on 08/21/2008 6:26:46 AM PDT by IamConservative (On 11/4, remember 9/11...)
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To: machogirl

No.

Dogs have larger brains.


15 posted on 08/21/2008 6:27:33 AM PDT by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts and guns made America great.)
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To: Alex Murphy

“learning morals”
Interesting.
This must mean that there are morals. But I thought that there were no morals [liberal dogma]. That humans are no higher than dogs! [liberal dogma].

I’m confused.


16 posted on 08/21/2008 6:28:07 AM PDT by BooksForTheRight.com (Fight liberal lies with knowledge. Read conservative books and articles.)
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To: palomonte

His own or the dog’s?


17 posted on 08/21/2008 6:32:51 AM PDT by WayneS (And now I shall return to my hovel and cling to my guns ... until it is time to go to Church)
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To: Alex Murphy

Is sniffing everyone’s butt immoral? Because they haven’t learned about that yet apparently.


18 posted on 08/21/2008 6:34:01 AM PDT by ovrtaxt (This election is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if McCain wins, we're still retarded.)
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To: WayneS

“His own or the dog’s?”

hahahahahhaha good one.


19 posted on 08/21/2008 6:34:25 AM PDT by tuffydoodle (Shut up voices, or I'll poke you with a Q-Tip again.)
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To: Blueflag
I can even tell who’s come home [which family member] by the bark.

I don't doubt that a bit. I also know that our dogs can distinguish when it's one of our cars from as far as a block away.

20 posted on 08/21/2008 6:38:11 AM PDT by JustaCowgirl
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