Best friend, indeed: Dogs take human cues better than chimps

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | 11-22-02

[afraidfortherepublic]

For all the dog lovers out there! We knew this all the while....

[afraidfortherepublic]

Something lighter for you....

[weikel]

They can understand English IMHO.

[afraidfortherepublic]

ping

[1Old Pro]

They can understand English IMHO.

My dog really enjoys watching televison, especially when other dogs, or horses or cows are in the show.

[SpaceBar]

Perhaps the canine ability to accurately read visual cues from humans comes from our common heritage of being social hunters. Chimps on the otherhand need each other for little more than picking ticks off each other.

[Blood of Tyrants]

My dog knows in an instant if I am happy or displeased with her. I believe that she feels shame when she accidently pees on the carpet (usually my fault for not checking the room and leaving her closed up in it).

[afraidfortherepublic]

They can understand English IMHO.

I used to spell in front of my Golden if I didn't want her to get excited. Her vocabulary included:
Ball
Bone
Cookie
Bird
Look
Let's go
Out

She became stone deaf in her elder years and we didn't even realize it for about a year because she responded to our body language so well.

[weikel]

Sweet like Arnold the pig from green acres.

[Joe 6-pack]

Say it ain't so...

[mhking]

Perhaps Michael Jackson should take note...

[jodorowsky]

Fascinating

[mafree]

Thanks for posting this- I just saw this article and hoped that it was already posted.

Dog lovers bump!

[afraidfortherepublic]

My dog really enjoys watching televison, especially when other dogs, or horses or cows are in the show.

My current dog does too. He pays no attention to the TV unless there is a dog. He seems to notice the dog, even if the dog is quiet. He really gets excited if the dog barks, and he runs over to look behind the set to see if he can find the animal.

This morning he became very interested because there were howling wolves on a commercial. This particular dog is totally quiet himself -- never barks, howls, or whines (although he can). But he lifts his head right up as if he understands the language when a dog or a wolf is vocalizing on TV.

[stanz]

You took the words right out of my mouth. Dogs are pack animals. Their survival depends on taking cues from the dominant animal,in this case, humans. Primates, on the other hand, function in social units but can survive by their individual wits and rely less on external cues from other primates or one another.

[elbucko]

Chimps on the other hand need each other for little more than picking ticks off each other.

Kinda like Democrats.

[goodnesswins]

We just got a 2+ old from the humane society about a month ago.....her history had her locked in a fenced back yard mostly...she does NOT know how to play, BUT, she seems to know English. We're already spelling, and add to your list, "squirrel," "get," "bed," "outside," "lay down," "shake," etc.

Story.....we had a cocker spaniel once, who, when asked where my missing watch was (it had been missing for a couple of days, and as I was applying make-up in my bathroom, I casually was talking to him)......he left the room and returned in a minute, WITH MY WATCH in HIS MOUTH.

Who would want a CHIMP for a friend, when you can have a dog, anyway?

[afraidfortherepublic]

I just saw this article and hoped that it was already posted.

Thanks. It wasn't easy! I saw the article at McDonald's on the way to work, but it wasn't listed in JSOnline. Dogs and chimps in the search engine brought it forward, however. It's the best news that I have read all day, considering all the slughter in the world!

[kaylar]

I have to spell in front ofmy dogs, too. They understand:

Outside.
Ride.
Dog(s).
Food.
Treat.
Leash.
and most ominously :

Cute.