Some Dogs Can Classify Their Toys by Function
Posted3 months agoActive3 months ago
arstechnica.comResearchstory
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Animal CognitionDog BehaviorCognitive Science
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Animal Cognition
Dog Behavior
Cognitive Science
A study found that some dogs can classify their toys by function, sparking discussion about the complexity of canine cognition and the ways in which dogs understand and interact with their environment.
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I like them, but would probably never own one unless I'll ever own and regulary use a dog sled.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder is just native behavior to some breeds...
One example that comes to mind is planting new grass seed on the lawn, and she was not allowed in the grass. She pretty much instantly figured out the new rule, but would constantly test it. Drop her ball a foot into the grass, then lay down on the sidewalk and crawl into the grass keeping her hind legs on the pavement. Still on the sidewalk!
It's a constant battle of wits trying to keep her from figuring out new "loopholes" or grey areas we don't anticipate. Also finding her "jobs" to do so she doesn't make stuff up on her own.
You can apply this to pretty much anything and if they're somewhat clever they can do it. Age doesn't seem to matter either, I've done this with 10 year old dogs too.
Whenever we got a new toy for her we just had to throw it saying its name a few times and she would know it from then on.
We weren't able to train her on most stuff but her toy game was clutch.
There's a relevant Rick & Morty episode
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_(novel)
And service dogs do not even know the shift plan of the day. They just do the job. But maybe that’s their survival strategy, to use every available slot for relaxation because they don’t know when they will have to work again.
BTW what are the dog‘s usual working hours, how long can it stay focused while guiding?
Apart from the clients workplace, the service dog will be on and off duty for the rest of the day depending on the specific needs of its client. It follows them wherever they go (supermarkets, doctors, museums, whatever).
The dog can play or relax during breaks, or in the evening, when the client is in a safer/less stressful environment.
When I research a topic, whether it's an engineering diagram or looking up a half-remembered recipe on my phone, I immediately engage. It's fulfilling, not tedious. It can lead to "being in the zone".
It doesn't mean it's not taxing, but there's definitely a positive feedback from my system. Probably the same feeling if you're watching the water for a fish to spear, or watching your dad to see how he spears fish, or watching your mom to see how her lips move when she says "Mom". Or the ball to see when it's thrown and where, or if cars are coming because then you need to stay still and keep your human from proceeding.
I didn't even know it was possible before I tried and saw that she actually responded to it. Amazing.
The older dog was sat on the stairs, sulking, as I played with the puppy (he was always very moody).
I showed her a squeaky ball; she liked the squeak so I tried to get her to bite it and make the sound. But she just wasn't getting it. Then the other dog charged down the stairs, stamped on the ball to make it squeak, then went back upstairs to continue his sulk.
EDIT: turns out I should have done some more reading, this was already considered over 20 years ago - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rico_(dog)
I've known dogs to identify the sound of their favorite human's car engine pulling up, but that was the first time I saw a dog identify a vehicle by color (dark blue) and general category (jeep-style).
She mainly likes squeaky plush toys, doesn't like rope toys at all. She also likes tennis balls which is a completely different game to the ones she plays with the plushies.
The smell factor might explain why she initially turns completely off a favourite toy after it goes through the wash.
Also, I now suspect that dogs that selected “pull” toys for fetching (or vice versa) didn’t care about the experiment and only wanted to play with these toys in that specific way.