The inner monologue of our dog’s mind is a mystery which we do not fully understand. This could be the grandest question from our perspective in the history of the human-canine relationship. When dogs stare into people’s eyes with firm resolve, what are they thinking? When they steal a kitchen scrap or jump up seeking attention, how do they think about the action at various stages? Do our dogs want to strengthen our bond and communication? When they greet us with a big kiss after a tough day, instinctively tapping into our emotional state, do they know the positive influence they have on us? Our attempts to interpret their behavior today are often formed by combining scientific data and hypotheses from academics which have built on each other over time.
This collective effort has led to the dismissal of certain theories as well as validation of others. The Wise Woof team has studied these theories extensively with other research topics leading to what we think is the best approach to canine cognition.
Prior to the past 20 years, academics weren’t as interested in canine cognition. Instead, they studied animals, exhibiting traits that were at one time considered more comparable to humans. This is known as an anthropocentric, or comparative approach to human cognition. Wise Woofs agrees with the broader more modern community that this is a flawed starting point, leading to an incomplete picture of our dogs’ intelligence.
The skillset which allows dogs to survive over time and integrate into modern society is much different than that of humans, chimpanzees, or dolphins. Thus, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to measure intelligence comparatively across different animals or humans with different survival needs. Wise Woofs advocate for thinking about animal intelligence within the context of their unique lifestyles, abilities and challenges.
So, what does this mean for the study of dogs specifically? It requires a shift in perspective to evaluate their ability from originally surviving in the wild to the modern era where many of us consider them part of the family, certainly the Wise Woof family. Doing so makes it obvious how we’ve underestimated their abilities for years. This misunderstanding has spilled over into training methods which ultimately stunts their growth and decreases potential. This created a simple way to analyze canine cognition, assuming dogs are entirely dependent on us for all direction and behavior.
As a community we now have a mountain of evidence that more is happening than is seen or understood. Wise Woofs advocates for what is called the cognitive behaviorism approach to canine intelligence. This recognizes dogs as complex mammals whose intentions, actions and behaviors are a product of emotions. These emotions are also due to their physical state of being, whether it be hunger, pain, comfort or something else.
