Dogs can spot their own species
Dogs recognize other dogs, researchers find.
Dogs know their own.
Using computer screens, French researchers showed nine pet dogs pictures of more than 100 pairs of faces, including wild animals and humans alongside various dog breeds. The dogs were trained to choose one of the two images by putting their paw on the screen.
Despite the vast differences in what different canine breeds look like, the test subjects showed a preference for other dogs, researchers said.
While previous research has found that other animals are also better at identifying members of their own species than different species, scientists were interested in looking at dogs because their breeds are more variable than other mammals.
The findings of the study, by France’s National Veterinary School in Lyon, were published this month in the journal Animal Cognition.
More from Vetstreet:
What do animals see in the mirror?
The hard truth about “alpha dogs”
Meet America’s new top dog
11 unusual looking dog breeds
— Read it at Live Science
Photo: iStockphoto
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