Now scientists have discovered the first evidence that the animals actually behave like their masters.
Now
scientists
have
discovered
the
first
evidence
that
the
animals
actually
behave
like
their
masters
.
Just like children, they adopt a "look and learn" approach which means they can mimic human's actions when going about their tasks.
Just
like
children
,
they
adopt
a
``
look
and
learn
''
approach
which
means
they
can
mimic
human
's
actions
when
going
about
their
tasks
.
Biologists and psychologists at the universities of Vienna and Oxford designed an experiment to test the theory that dogs do have the ability to copy what they see, using a simple wooden box.
Biologists
and
psychologists
at
the
universities
of
Vienna
and
Oxford
designed
an
experiment
to
test
the
theory
that
dogs
do
have
the
ability
to
copy
what
they
see
,
using
a
simple
wooden
box
.
In the study, ten owners showed their dogs how to open the wooden box, sometimes using their heads to push a handle and sometimes using their hands.
In
the
study
,
ten
owners
showed
their
dogs
how
to
open
the
wooden
box
,
sometimes
using
their
heads
to
push
a
handle
and
sometimes
using
their
hands
.
In the first part of the test, five dogs were rewarded with a piece of sausage for copying their owners' actions.
In
the
first
part
of
the
test
,
five
dogs
were
rewarded
with
a
piece
of
sausage
for
copying
their
owners
'
actions
.
The other five were rewarded with food for not copying, and using other methods.
The
other
five
were
rewarded
with
food
for
not
copying
,
and
using
other
methods
.
With each dog the experiment was repeated hundreds of times, and the time taken for a dog to get it "right" on 85 percent of attempts (17 goes out of 20) was recorded.
With
each
dog
the
experiment
was
repeated
hundreds
of
times
,
and
the
time
taken
for
a
dog
to
get
it
``
right
''
on
85
percent
of
attempts
(
17
goes
out
of
20
)
was
recorded
.
The dogs encouraged to mirror their owners reached this point almost three times sooner on average than those rewarded for not copying them.
The
dogs
encouraged
to
mirror
their
owners
reached
this
point
almost
three
times
sooner
on
average
than
those
rewarded
for
not
copying
them
.
In the second part of the test, all the dogs were only rewarded for copying the method their owners used.
In
the
second
part
of
the
test
,
all
the
dogs
were
only
rewarded
for
copying
the
method
their
owners
used
.
The five dogs previously rewarded for copying their owners reached the 85 percent mark more than twice as the other five.
The
five
dogs
previously
rewarded
for
copying
their
owners
reached
the
85
percent
mark
more
than
twice
as
the
other
five
.
In a paper published in Proceeding of the Royal Society, they concluded, "Like humans, dogs can't help imitating actions they see."
In
a
paper
published
in
Proceeding
of
the
Royal
Society
,
they
concluded
,
``
Like
humans
,
dogs
ca
n't
help
imitating
actions
they
see
.
''
Going further, they said, "The results suggest the imitative behavior of dogs is shaped more by their developmental interactions with humans than by their evolutionary history of domestication."
Going
further
,
they
said
,
``
The
results
suggest
the
imitative
behavior
of
dogs
is
shaped
more
by
their
developmental
interactions
with
humans
than
by
their
evolutionary
history
of
domestication
.
''
Caroline Kisko, from the Kennel club, said, "A dog's behavior is influenced much like that of a child learning right from wrong and adopting similar patterns of behavior.
Caroline
Kisko
,
from
the
Kennel
club
,
said
,
``
A
dog
's
behavior
is
influenced
much
like
that
of
a
child
learning
right
from
wrong
and
adopting
similar
patterns
of
behavior
.
We hope that owners understand the importance of their actions and use this knowledge to set good examples and therefore positively influence the behavior of their pets."
We
hope
that
owners
understand
the
importance
of
their
actions
and
use
this
knowledge
to
set
good
examples
and
therefore
positively
influence
the
behavior
of
their
pets
.
''
Now scientists have discovered the first evidence that the animals actually behave like their masters. Just like children, they adopt a "look and learn" approach which means they can mimic human's actions when going about their tasks.  Biologists and psychologists at the universities of Vienna and Oxford designed an experiment to test the theory that dogs do have the ability to copy what they see, using a simple wooden box. In the study, ten owners showed their dogs how to open the wooden box, sometimes using their heads to push a handle and sometimes using their hands.  In the first part of the test, five dogs were rewarded with a piece of sausage for copying their owners' actions. The other five were rewarded with food for not copying, and using other methods. With each dog the experiment was repeated hundreds of times, and the time taken for a dog to get it "right" on 85 percent of attempts (17 goes out of 20) was recorded. The dogs encouraged to mirror their owners reached this point almost three times sooner on average than those rewarded for not copying them. In the second part of the test, all the dogs were only rewarded for copying the method their owners used. The five dogs previously rewarded for copying their owners reached the 85 percent mark more than twice as the other five.  In a paper published in Proceeding of the Royal Society, they concluded, "Like humans, dogs can't help imitating actions they see." Going further, they said, "The results suggest the imitative behavior of dogs is shaped more by their developmental interactions with humans than by their evolutionary history of domestication."  Caroline Kisko, from the Kennel club, said, "A dog's behavior is influenced much like that of a child learning right from wrong and adopting similar patterns of behavior. We hope that owners understand the importance of their actions and use this knowledge to set good examples and therefore positively influence the behavior of their pets."