LiveScience:
The canine IQ test results are in: Even the average dog has the mental abilities of a 2-year-old child.
The finding is based on a language development test, revealing average dogs can learn 165 words (similar to a 2-year-old child), including signals and gestures, and dogs in the top 20 percent in intelligence can learn 250 words.
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in other news, 2 year old kids are as dumb as dogs...
Maybe they are as smart as YOUR two year old.
Hmmm. ...the intelligence of a two year old? How many two year olds rescue people from fires? I'm just not sure this is the whole picture.
For me, the additionnal question is whether or not humans are smart enough to know how to truly test the IQ of dogs. After all, birds were presumed to have "bird brains" until recently when some researched established they are one of the smartest animals.
And also, I've always found it interesting that a dog can understand human's language, but few human's can understand what a dog is trying to say in dog language. What does this say about intelligence?
There is also the matter of instinct to factor into the equation. From what I understand, many animals are very in touch with their instincts...and that is the sort of intelligence we humans probably have not found a way to measure or factor in.
You raise some good points. I've always felt that dogs are a lot smarter than we recognize.
Another good thing about a dog, if it gets really sick and is suffering, it can be euthanized.
Like grandparents?
i always heard 5 year olds. or was that the really smart ones?
A pig is smarter than a dog so i think we all should stop eating pork. :D
Yep!
Meatless Monday EVERYDAY!!!
We can only hope that someday the thought of eating animals will be found revolting to the majority of civilization.
I'm posting these two links today one a happy sing song true tale, the other an eye opening interview: I hope they are viewed something is leaned with joy & empowerment.
If you haven't seen this you-tube about Shan-grah the horse well, you are in for a treat!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMj2K2-K8
Interview - Bruce Friedrich - The Animal Activist's Handbook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84JVzSXKJI
apparently not smart enough to stay off my plate though, yummy!
Yes, and for the sake of human health too.
www.pcrm.org
As smart as a 2 year old? That means they're also as smart as an octopus. Just in case you needed to know that....
My grandmother had a mutt that was a quiet soul, nary a "woof" would come from his mouth. Dad was a patrolman assigned to gramma's neighborhood and would stop by to check on her most days. Suddenly, Corky started howling everytime he heard a police siren, three days after Corky started dad was killed on duty. Corky went silent again. We never knew what to make of it, but I can't forget it.
I feel your pain. Corky was a mob informant.
Haha, brilliant.
dogs are psychic, they know our path.
And smarter than Republicans.
So.. can dogs be potty trained so they don't poop and pee all over the yard and the neighborhood?
Indeed! But they won't figure it out by themselves. You have to teach them.
I've raised puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and they always give very specific instructions about what signals to use for your puppy so it can be toilet-trained. After a while, the dog responds to commands and recognizes that concrete areas are not good spots, while grassy or wooded areas are.
It's not very hard; it's a pity more dog owners don't realize this.
My father was diagnosed with Lung Cancer nine months ago. A few months prior to that diagnosis, I with my two dogs was spending a lot of time at my parents house. One of my dogs at that time stopped spending time with me and the other dog and started spending most her time with my father. She in fact
would not leave his side and my mom and I could not understand why this was happening. Anyway, to make a long story short, my dad went to the doctor for a check up and they discovered the cancer. It was if she knew something was wrong well before we did. She has yet to leave his side. Dogs never cease to amaze me and humans underestimate them along with so many other animals.
Actually, my dogs have ME trained.
Yeah, my dogs have trained me, but not as well as my cats did.
Dogs actually domesticated themselves. They are no dummies!
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows damned well they understand a LOT of words (I think sometimes even more than this study would suggest at times). We had one dog that was so smart we had to start spelling the key words. Then, she figured out how to spell o-u-t, r-i-d-e, i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m, e-a-t, m-i-l-k b-o-n-e, and many other key words. We had to start writing them down. Then, she somehow knew we were up to something and would sit there ready to spring waiting for us to say those words we had to write down. I remember my parents doing the same thing around my little brother (d-i-s-n-e-y w-o-r-l-d comes to mind). They can surely read body and hand language easily as well. The power of speech doesn't automatically exlude every other species from the brainpan department. Fun to read some fun news, but also nice to have what most of us have known for a long time scientifically validated, too! On a side note, I am dog-sitting, and I had some surgery a few days ago that requires me sitting in the tub several times a day. The dog I'm watching has brought me her wooly toy every time I have been in the tub.
Wonderful comments! Pet that lovely dog who is so willing to share her toy.
I believe dogs have psychic powers.
My rat terrier knows "squirrel" and would bolt for the door if we said it, so we started using "tree rat" and he's catching on to that now. When I was recuperating from minor surgery on the couch, neither he nor the chihuahua ever left me until I would get up, and then would take care of their own needs. Now that's devotion!
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First Posted: 08- 8-09 11:26 PM | Updated: 08- 8-09 11:30 PM