Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think
 

Just because your wonder dog can't "talk" to you in your language of choice doesn't mean a lack of intelligence. While the experts argue about how to define intelligence in dogs anyone who has ever really loved a dog knows there's something going on behind those sparkling eyes.


Now to be sure, there are different levels of "smartness" in both breed lines and individual dogs, just as we can see demonstrated in the human population. Numerous tests and studies have been conducted over the years in an attempt to map the capabilities of dogs. But beyond breeds and with an allowance for naturally smarter dogs (i.e. within same litter) my own position is the biggest factor affecting dog intelligence is the quality of social interaction with their "persons".


Obviously a dog, post "new puppy" syndrome, now relegated to a chain in the back yard with at best twice daily water/food checks will not be exposed to the same stimuli as the dog fully integrated into daily life. This lucky "house" dog will experience much more, each day will bring new discoveries that interest, excite, elate and frighten. We all learn by exposure to new experiences, more experiences equal more learning.


My own personal opinion is that if you "believe" a dog has little intelligence you will not likely be surprised. However, if you expect your dog to learn and know more, assuming you are insuring provision of the "experiences" whether trips to new places, things and training regimens etc. then your wonder dog will rarely let you down.


There is more to a healthy dog than a wet nose and a shiny coat. Dogs have been domesticated for some 20,000 years. My own personal belief is domestication likely coincided with man's first use of fire to cook meat ;-) A happy, well adjusted dog needs social interaction, it's very health and wellness depends upon you providing the companionship and bonding that cements your "pack" together. This joining together between man and dog is to our mutual benefit.


But how does your healthy, socially adjusted dog tell you when it's hungry, needs to go out, is happy, sad or feeling poorly. Well "not in so many words" but the ability to speak alone does not define intelligence. Sights and smells and sounds are likely stored as images since they have no human languages to translate images to, as we do. So your wonder dog maintains visual image memories of it's world. In other words their intelligence is just stored differently.


We help create the images in our dogs minds by reinforcing desired behaviors this imagery is stored or "learned" by the dog. Depending upon the breed of dog, our level of commitment and experience aided by our learning to think in "dog think" the better the results. A poor teacher who blames the pupil is in the wrong profession. Some dogs have learned an amazing amount of abilities. But judging a dog's intelligence solely on "tricks" or our interpretation of what the dog should do is a prejudice on our part.


Personal observations have demonstrated an apparent ability of my dogs to reason. To be certain my opinions may be biased as I have quite an affinity for the species. My pack of healthy, happy and intelligent dogs are a marvel of ingenuity and inventiveness, including a healthy sense of humor.


Humor in dogs may not be evidenced by what we call laughter but no loving dog owner will deny their dogs enjoy having fun. Beyond the need for survival, food when hungry and reproduction instincts domesticated dogs do experience fun or humor. Dogs play and anyone who has watched them playing has evidenced what we would call a sense of humor when for example one entices another to play with a toy only to pull it away at the last instant causing a joyful pursuit.


Do dogs smile? My dogs do. Dogs communicate in more ways than we even know. For example "seizure dogs" are still a mystery only "recently discovered" by us smart animals. Dogs communicate with all their senses from scents, an undetermined range of vocalizations, body language, physical touching, eye contact and more. My own belief is that dogs "read" faces and it explains why they know what I'm thinking before I get a chance to say it.


Anyone who has ever seen their dog frolicking on it's back while vocalizing a range of unique sounds would find it difficult to deny dogs have fun. If you have ever tried to drag an uncooperative dog off the couch or bed where the dog sees you, knows that you want it to move but just lays there seemingly doubling it's own "dead weight", can you then deny dogs have a sense of humor?


Healthy dogs, unburdened by sickness or disease who have a happy home where all needs are met do learn and retain this "knowledge". Every dog owner can relate stories of how their dogs have managed through ingenuity to do things formerly thought impossible "for a dog".


Just because dogs can't speak one of our languages doesn't mean they are not intelligent. The domestication of dogs has been a godsend. Dogs are indeed smarter than you think and one day we may come to learn the full depth of their amazing capabilities.
 

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