How Intelligent are Dogs, Really? (feat.

Dogs are humanity's best friend, but did we domesticate the brains out of our favorite companions? What's your favorite dog video? Share it with us! 🐕

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The humble dog has been adapting and evolving alongside humanity since before we learned agriculture and how to make our own tools. This long history means #dogs are incredible at human-canine interaction but is there a downside to this all human-focused adaptation? Hosts Natalia Borrego and ‪@TraceDominguez‬ talk to Laurie Santos, Director of the Yale Cognition Center, to find out.

On Animal IQ we dig into the research and talk to the experts to find out just how smart animals appear to be. We then use that knowledge to fill in our AIQ Rubric across five domains of intelligence: Social, Rational, Awareness, Ecological, and our own intelligence X-Factor. Every animal is clever, but their talents vary based on their evolution, biology, values, adaptations, and environment. We hope y'all learn how each of our animals tick on Animal IQ!

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You can also seek out our experts and hosts here:
:: Laurie Santos ::
Twitter:   / lauriesantos  
Yale's Comparative Cognition Lab: https://caplab.yale.edu
:: Dr. Natalia Borrego ::
Instagram:   / untamedbiologist  
Lion Lab website: https://lioncenter.umn.edu/natalia-bo...
:: Trace Dominguez ::
Twitter:   / tracedominguez  
Instagram:   / tracedominguez  
YouTube:    / tracedominguez  

📚 READ MORE

Dogs and people share social intelligence skills
https://www.aaha.org/publications/new...
Study with 552 dogs, pet, assistant dogs in training, military explosive detection dogs, “variety of breeds” Game-based tests, hiding treats, -- then humans pointed, looked at hiding places

There is no human counterpart to some types of dog intelligence
https://mindmatters.ai/2020/08/in-wha...
University of Exeter psychology professor (and dog expert) Stephen Lea, says that domestication “has radically altered the intelligence of dogs.” Not so much raised or lowered it as changed its nature from the type of intelligence we would expect from a wolf.

Dog lovers have been saying it for years: dogs are smarter than many people give them credit for
https://www.vox.com/2015/4/7/8360143/...
Over the past decade, research into canine behavior and intelligence has been blossoming, and a range of experiments have suggested that dogs are capable of surprisingly complex feats of social intelligence and emotional sensitivity. On the whole, psychologist and dog researcher Stanley Coren estimates, the average dog's intelligence is roughly as sophisticated as a 2.5-year-old baby's.

Music: APM
Footage: Storyblocks, Nature Footage