@Dogman1013 My dog brings out the best in me... due to his unconditionally love and always being by my side.
The way one treat dogs tells a lot of their own character.
Female dogs can tell when a person doesn’t know what they’re doing.
Dogs have lived alongside humans for tens of thousands of years, and research shows they pay close attention to how we behave not just how we sound or look.
In controlled experiments, researchers tested whether dogs judge human competence just by watching. The setup was simple: two people tried to open a container. One succeeded. One failed.
Later, both people offered the dogs treats.
Most dogs chose to approach the person who had succeeded. The effect was stronger in female dogs, though scientists are not yet sure why.
This ability is called third-party social assessment, judging someone based on how they treat others or perform tasks. It’s also seen in highly social animals like chimpanzees, dolphins, and ravens.
The dogs were not responding to voice, emotion, or body language. They were responding to performance alone. They watched, remembered, and made a decision.
This skill may come from evolution. Early dogs that could recognize reliable, capable humans would have had a better chance of survival. Over time, that ability may have become part of how dogs relate to us today.
It shows that dogs don’t just bond emotionally, they also observe, compare, and evaluate.
Source:
“Female dogs evaluate levels of competence in humans.”
Behavioral Processes, 2022.
My dog Kaya left one of her plush toys outside on the deck and in the rain. I threw it in the dryer for a bit and I think she appreciated it.👍😄 She doesn't always like to cuddle, but when she does...