Having a date this Valentine's day? Are you wondering if your date is a good person or a bad one? As it turns out, dogs are very reliable in judging a person's character. Scientists confirmed that dogs can detect a bad person.
In a study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, scientists found out that dogs can differentiate a good from a bad person. Scientists perform a series of experiments. They tested 18 dogs in three different scenarios. The goal of this is to understand if the dog can differentiate a bad person from a good one. They allow the dogs to watch their owners asked a stranger for help in opening a box. In the first scenario, the stranger refused to help the owner. In the second scenario, the stranger came to help the owner. In the third scenario, the stranger neither help nor refused to help.
Then the strangers approached the dog with treats. Researchers were surprised that the stranger who refused to help his owner refused the treats. They happily took the treats from helpful and neutral strangers.
It has been known for years that dogs can understand when humans point at something. In another research lead by Akiko Takaoka in University in Japan. They wanted to know if the dog would trust the person who lied to them. In the experiment, 34 dogs were tested that consists of three rounds of pointing. Dog owners would first point the container with food then the dog will run to it. The container without food than would be pointed to the dog. The dogs later realize that they've been tricked as the container doesn't have food in it.
The first round the presenters actually pointed out where food is hidden in the container. On the second round, presenters point at an empty container. Then on the third round, the same experimenter pointed a container with food. The dog did not respond to the experimenter's cue on the third round. This suggests that dogs could use their experience to the experimenter to asses whether they are reliable or not. After this round, new experimenters replicate the first round. The dogs followed the presenters with interest.
How is it possible? This is because of the dog's olfactory system called the vomeronasal organ. This organ allows the dog to sense what humans cannot even perceive. Our dog's sense of smell is 1000 better than humans. These heightened senses allowed dogs to smell the pheromones that evoke the human mood. This also helps dogs pick up good and bad behaviors of a human.
So if you've noticed that your dog doesn't want anything to do with the person you are currently dating; it may be time to consider dating other people.
Signs That Your Dog Is Sensing a Good Person
When your dog is sensing that your date is a good person, his face will be more relaxed. His mouth is open and his tongue could be out. He is in a calm posture and his tail will wag. When your date is a good person with good intentions, your dog will welcome them with a warm heart. They will stand close to them or follow them around.
Here are some signs that your dog senses a good person:
- Wagging Tail
- Sniffing
- Staring
- Ears dropped
And if you want to ensure that your dog's instincts are correct, here's what you can do:
- If the dog identifies a bad person, give them a treat.
- After this phase of giving your dog a reward, try a non-verbal phrase like patting them on the head.
- Try a verbal phrase once the above methods work.
If dogs know that you appreciate their efforts, they will work even harder to get your appreciation.
If you notice that your dog is signaling that they are near a bad person, here's what you can do:
- Do not yell or punish your dog for doing what their instincts tell them to do. They won't be able to tell a bad person in the future if you do that.
- Keep your dog close to you on their lease.
- If he doesn't stop barking or showing displeasure to the person near him, leave the area so that they won't feel uneasy or stressed out.