Final Trip Into the Animal Mind

Throughout this semester we have talked a lot about the different capabilities in the minds of animals. We have touched on such a variety of subjects including empathy, learning, time, etc. Across all of these we have had to step back and relook at studies because it is such an easy subject to be bias on. When we started this semester out, it was even difficult not to think of your own dogs and say "but they do know what time I come home" or "but they do know when I am sad". It is difficult to change your entire perception on what animals, and pets, are. 

For me, I had to focus on the fascinating parts of even the discouraging parts of this subject. 

One of those was time. Remembering back we found that there is evidence of some animals showing time skills but the discouraging part was that our dogs could not quite tell time. 

We want to think that our dogs know what time we come home and wait for us. 

While this knocked our beloved dogs down a couple pegs at first, it also revealed something else. 

They are still incredibly intelligent. 

If you think back to the video of the dog waiting for its owners, you will remember that the dog was able to guess correctly when the owners would be back, but using a very different skill. The dog was using scent and the fade of scent to know when the owners would be back. I don't know about you, but I have never used scent in such a cool, useful way. 

While I may have been incredibly disappointed if I was just told, "Your dog does not tell time, they just guess" I would have been incredibly sad. Instead I learn something more fascinating about dogs that humans don't do. 

We tend to compare animals, and especially dogs, to humans. Even in this class when we know we should not do it, it is hard. Even in studies that are supposed to be unbiased, you will find skewed results due to a desire for an animal to be show certain results.

Instead of these constant comparisons to humans (that are typically disappointed anyway) we should be looking at the animals for what they do, like using scent instead of time, and appreciating those cognitive processes. 

So tell me, what did you find fascinating these last couple months? Or if these topics weren't your cup of tea, what was disappointing to learn this semester?