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Study: Dogs Have The Brains To Understand Numbers

Even though they’ve been our closest pals for thousands of years, there’s still so much about dogs we don’t know. How much can they really understand and relate to us? Do they have any idea what we’re talking about at all? At the very least we now know they can understand numbers… sort of. A new scientific study has demonstrated some really interesting things about mammals’ relationship with numbers. More specifically, it shows that dogs, like humans and some primates, … Read more

There’s A Better Way To Calculate Your Dog’s “Human Age” According To Scientists

My dog Cody recently celebrated his 11th birthday. That beautiful little creature has lived on this earth for barely over a decade, but there’s no denying he’s an old dog. If I were to calculate his human-equivalent age the way we’ve all been doing it for years, I’d multiply his 11 years by 7 and say he’s about 77 in “human years.” New research says that long-followed formula is not really accurate though. A recently published study conducted to determine how human … Read more

Scientists Need 10,000 Dogs To Help Them Study Canine Aging

What would you do to help all dogs live longer? Would you fill out surveys about your pooch? Send in DNA samples and vials of poop? Scientists for the Dog Aging Project certainly hope so. They’re counting on 10,000 dog lovers to volunteer their pups for a five year study on canine aging. The project is the largest-ever study on how dogs age. It will rely on pup parents to provide data such as veterinary records, DNA samples, gut microbes … Read more

Study Suggests Letting Dogs Sleep In Bed Is Good For Chronic Pain Sufferers

Healthcare providers often recommend removing pets from the bedroom in order to improve a patient’s sleep quality. While dogs can certainly be disruptive bed hogs, a study conducted by the University of Alberta suggests their presence may be “overwhelmingly positive” for pet parents suffering with chronic pain. “When you ask people to remove an animal they are in the habit of co-sleeping with, it could have consequences the health-care provider hasn’t considered,” says Cary Brown of UA’s Faculty of Rehabilitation … Read more

Recent Study Suggests That Your Dog Does This For You When You’re Upset

There’s something about a dog’s soft fur and kind eyes that works like medicine when you’re feeling down in the dumps. Making you feel better seems effortless for them, but a new study suggests their mood-boosting powers aren’t as incidental as we used to think. The question of whether or not dogs feel empathy is still yet to be answered, but researchers recently published a study that suggests dogs are receptive to human emotional states and can choose to actively … Read more

Scientists Study YouTube Videos To Discover The Lesser Known Triggers For Dog Bites

Common reasons dogs snap at humans include fear, pain and resource guarding. Recently, a team of researchers from the University of Liverpool set out to discover the lesser understood triggers for dog bites by analyzing 143 YouTube videos showing 362 real bites. Dog bites are a global health problem causing physical, mental, and financial strain to individuals, health care systems, and businesses. They also affect canine welfare, as many dogs are relinquished to shelters or euthanized for biting, even when the incident … Read more

Do Therapy Dogs Like Their Jobs?

With a growing list of places where you might run into a therapy dog, it’s easy to see real-life examples of the good work they’re known for. They visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and even airports to bring their special breed of emotional support to two-leggers of all ages. Science has already proven therapy dogs make real differences when it comes to emotional well-being. We know the people are happy, but what about the dogs? Most people know what it … Read more

Your Input Could Help Scientists Bust Breed Stereotypes

A now-famous 2012 study conducted by the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida demonstrated just how inaccurate the average human – and most canine experts – are at identifying a dog’s breed mix by sight alone. Now, a team of scientists from Darwin’s Dogs is searching for volunteers to help further their research on the same subject. They hope to gain insight into how superficial perceptions affect our lives with dogs.  Darwin’s Dogs is a project … Read more

Science Says Dogs Recognize Happiness Better Than Any Other Human Emotion

When you’re in bed with the flu or grieving the loss of a loved one, your dog seems to understand your emotions in a way that doesn’t require words. Dogs are experts at making us feel better when we’re sad, but scientists believe sadness isn’t the emotion dogs respond to best. On the opposite side of the spectrum, dogs love it when their humans are happy. Happy humans play games, give praise, and pass out treats. Some of the reasons … Read more

Science Tells Whether Or Not Dogs Really Pick Their Owners Over Strangers

Every dog owner wants to think that in a test of favorites, their pet would pick them every time. It’s that classic game of who belongs to who where two people stand on opposite sides and the dog picks who they want to go with. TV characters do it to determine who the dog’s real owner is, but does it work in real life? A study in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior suggests something dog owners don’t … Read more

New Study Uncovers The Real Reason Why Your Dog Has A Penchant For Poop

Watching a dog munch on a pile of poop is enough to turn anyone’s stomach. Humans are revolted by this undesirable type of appetite, and some dog owners dislike it so much it’s the reason they give their dogs away. Dog owners can’t understand why their beloved pup chooses to eat poop, but new research suggests dogs are only doing what comes naturally. Benjamin Hart, a veterinarian with the Center for Animal Behavior, formed a team to find real answers. … Read more

Does Your Dog Actually Enjoy Listening To Music? The Answer May Surprise You.

Search for “dog music” on Spotify, and you’ll find an entire playlist dedicated to the canine populace. Type “Laurie Anderson” into Google, and you’ll find articles, pictures, and videos about the concerts the musician puts on just for dogs. You can also take a quick survey of friends and neighbors to find pet owners who keep the radio on for their dogs while they’re home alone (maybe you do it too!). These signs all point to the same idea—dogs like … Read more

Researchers Identify Possible Risk Factors For Anxiety & Aggression In Dogs

According to VetStreet.com, as many as 90% of all dog owners report behavioral problems – most commonly in the categories of anxiety and aggression. Not only do these issues compromise the dog’s wellbeing and their relationship with the humans and other pets in the household, they also increase the dog’s risk of being surrendered to a shelter. A group of researchers in Northern Italy conducted a study to shed light on how and why behavioral problems develop in certain dogs. Their … Read more

There’s A Surprising Emotional Reason Why Dogs “Mouth-Lick”

A recent study conducted by the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil and the University of Lincoln in the UK has revealed an interesting aspect of canine behavior. The researchers examined dogs’ responses to “emotionally significant” images and sounds and found that the “mouth-licking” often associated with hunger and uncertainty also appears to be used in an effort to communicate with humans they perceive as angry. The dogs were shown images of faces with positive and negative expressions – one each … Read more

New Study Finds That Dogs Have More Brain Power Than Cats

Dog people and cat people have long argued about which species is more intelligent. Scientists from Vanderbilt University believe that their latest research may settle the matter once and for all. They compared the number of cortical neurons – the “little gray cells” associated with thinking, planning and complex behavior – in the brains of several carnivores. When it came to dogs and cats, the pups won in a landslide! Their cortical neuron count was found to be more than double … Read more

The Truth About Color Blindness In Dogs

There was a time when dogs were thought to be completely colorblind, unable to see anything but shades of grey. While their range is limited compared to the spectrum we see, our pups do perceive color. Basically, dogs are able to distinguish between yellows, blues, and violets; but cannot distinguish between reds, greens, and oranges. These colors appear somewhere on their yellow to blue spectrum. A new study conducted by Italian researchers at the University of Bari’s Department of Veterinary Medicine sought to … Read more

New Study Shows That Dogs May Reduce Risk Of Childhood Eczema And Reduce Asthma Symptoms

While a dog’s fur coat can sometimes be problematic for individuals with allergies, new studies have shown prenatal and early exposure to dogs may stave off certain health issues in children. Eczema, an itchy inflammation of the skin, affects babies as young as a few weeks all the way up to adults. It’s treatable with prescribed medication, but there is no permanent cure or relief from the itching. A study recently presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and … Read more

New Study Shows People Like Dogs More Than Humans

It’s no secret dog owners love their dogs, and a new study takes a look into exactly how far that love goes. The Times of London published an experiment meant to compare a person’s empathy toward dogs as opposed to other humans. A medical research charity in the UK staged their study around two fake advertisements asking for donations. In the first ad, readers were told the sad story of a man named Harrison. It read, “Would You give £5 to … Read more