And where the treats are. And whether or not you’re sincere. And what’s in the shopping bag. At least Sydney knows. Really, how could I ever mislead that face?
Sydney Bruce
Study: Dogs can dig through human deception
Man’s best friend or food-grubbing flatterer? Dogs are no dummies either way, suggests a study showing how canines respond to deception.
Fido always seems to know which hand hides the treat, even without sniffing, and researchers and pet owners alike have long wondered whether pooches imagine what we are thinking or whether they simply read body language.
“Dogs evolved with humans, and a number of studies have suggested they are particularly sensitive to human cues…”
Okay, for all you Sydney fans, here’s another pic of her lounging on her, uh lounger contemplating probably a squirrel that is just out of reach. Aren’t they all?
Dogs are the best animals in the world. We have a dog that is getting older and we love him more than anyone except our families. They are wonderful and a joy.
AAAWWW!!! I just love Sydney’s face!!! What a sweetheart!!!
Thank you for posting her photo!
Lovely and looks happy. Love it.
although i grew up with dogs and love them i really am a ‘ cat person’ and find that cats are just as perceptive.
when i am sad or upset or sick, they know and i have had cats who would not leave my side in any of those instances. they go through any and all shopping bags searching for stuff ‘ for the cats’ – and seem indignant if there’s naught. they know where the cat nip and treats are hidden. the only english word they seem to understand is ‘ vet’ even if only spoken in your head. they know when you even think about the cat carrier and then good luck finding the dears. although i come home from work at random times- the minute my car goes by the house a cat pops up into the window.
cats are even better at deception than most humans – arguably the masters- are. i’ve had cats spit pills out in front of me 15 minutes after holding them down holding their mouths and stroking their throats, certain it went down the hatch. they could spit it out the second you let go, but they just have to rub in what a tool you are and make sure you know who really has the upper paw.
i’ve always thought animals and children were just more attuned psychically for lack of a better term to those around them especially those with whom they have a close relationship( and for the record i do not personally dance around trees in the forest for any one or any reason). it makes sense that those without language or without more advanced communication and social abilities would heavily rely on cues others may be giving off unknowingly.
i have never had anyone whom my cats disliked or avoided turn out to be any damn good. and i never trust anyone who doesn’t have or doesn’t like animals.
We have a cat. It was a stray, got into a fight with our other cat about 6 years ago. When I tried to separate them, he bit me, left large puncture wounds and took off.
We could not find him.
Next day my hand swelled and the wife made me go to the ER (and, yes, I had insurance). They had to give me rabies shots. They registered me with the health dept., apparently I was a public health risk I had to go back to the ER 3 times (the only place they would give the shots, waited each time 4 hours) for 3 shots each visit. Very painful. I had to call into work and tell them health dept would not let me go to work for a couple of days because I may have rabies.
Apparently, that was a first in the H.R. department.
The cat showed up a few days before my last round, wife caught him and held him in the basement. On the last visit, Doc said if the cat had rabies, it would have died by that time and I didn’t need the last round (after 4 hours of waiting, of course).
Wife kept the cat and now it sleeps in our bed wrapped around her head.
The cat’s name is “Snuggle Bug”.
The vet bill to get the cat fixed, vaccinated, wormed and the ear mites removed was paid for with the money that was to be used for my Christmas present.
I think my wife likes the cat more than me, he definitely eats better than I do.
Moral of the story: I like dogs by default.
Did I mention that the cat’s name that bit me, cost me my Christmas present, 12 hours in the ER, about 9 painful shots was “Snuggle Bug”.
Just Saying… Happy B-Day Tammy!
I told your story to my cats. They all laughed and high-fived one another…LOL!
Sydney rocks! Cute ‘Shepard.
You are right on that Tammy – Am I the only canine who blogs on TammyBruce.com? Sending lots of dog slobber to Sydney. WOOF!
from RuBegonia…on the road.
What a face! Sydney made me laugh with delight. She comes across as being quite a character with a sense of humor. My two feline boys, Patticakes and Alphalpha, would hang out with her for sure!
Showed Sydney’s photos to my labradoodle, Chewie and he asked me to relay a message: Sydney is so cute; I just want to give her a big old smooch! I would even share my frisbee with her.
Must be puppy love — he doesn’t share his frisbee with anyone!
I think Sydney is listening to your radio show in the second pic.
I like animals more than people. And they seem to like me more than people do.
Same here :-p
Woof!
[…] Dogs Know When You’re Lying, and they still love you: […]
I have multiple dog disorder. Multiples of multiples. Topped out at a pack of ten. They come to live here in a variety of ways…walk ups and rescues mostly. All have different capacities for reading me and each other. (They also clue into the behavioral routines and communication patterns of the non-canine and non-human species living on the farm. Dogs quickly figure out what laid back ears on a horse mean while goats and cows don’t ever appear to.) The dogs and I, we keep each other honest and accountable. Really, they are better at doing life together in an authentic way than most people groups are! You know what they say about dogs resembling their people or vice versa? Sydney Bruce and Tammy Bruce…..not so much unless Tammy ramps up the highlights or Sydney shaves a little around the neck. But they each have their own brand of zing and verve don’t you know?
Sarah Palin “is the most confident person I’ve ever met.” So said Marci Klein, producer of Saturday Night Live. http://tiny.cc/omj0B
Here’s proof dogs are smarter than some humans:
http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/your-open-thread-and-opie-says-no-treats-from-barack-obama/
Tammy rules. The first place I heard about Sarah Palin’s latest Facebook post was on Tammy’s twitter (that sounds dirty but it’s not). Sarah opens a can of whoop-ass on Obama & energy policy.
http://is.gd/2o42v
Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
Mark Twain
woof!
Sydney has the most adorable face! I had a German/Belgian Shepherd mix as a kid and I’ve always been partial to shepherds.
Thanks for sharing the cute pics.
Yea, I often said during the OJ trial… Why the hell did they not let Nicole Browns dog into the courtroom? We would have found out real fast who the real killer is.
Sydney is the cutest!
Let me know if you ever need a babysitter! Sydney Bruce is soooo cute!
They also know when your sick……….my kids have had the lovely swine flu and our female
Lab has maintained a bedside vigil- loving and mothering them. Whoever said that dogs don’t have souls was clearly mistaken.
Sydney is adorable 🙂