Dog Cognition
By: Isabelle-Angelina Schosser
New study shows that Dogs are even more complex than we thought. What does this mean, if I want a to adopt a dog?
Dogs are among the smartest animals on this planet. Over the course of thousands of years: the earliest findings in dog-human connections are tracing back to 30000 years ago! They have accompanied us through the hardships of life: in hunting, gathering and as a loyal protectors and friends. After earthquakes, they are the ones rescuing our loved ones under debris, such as they did in places such as Cianjur after the earthquake of 2022. Safe to say that we humans co-evolved alongside dogs, and that a dog’s emotional and cognitive capabilities are much more complex than many people are aware.
A dog has the cognitive capacity of a 3-year-old human child.
Recent studies have shown that Dogs can learn up to 165 different words: the same amount as a small child of around 2 to 3 years old. One study has even shown that some particularly smart dogs can do basic mathematical exercise if you train them to: by making use of the same brain parts as we humans do. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?
Dogs feel the same emotions as humans.
Due to the same hormonal changes inside their brains and their impressive brain size, dogs can feel complex emotions such as love, happiness, and bliss but also boredom, fear, and despair. They can even suffer from depression, for example from a lack of activity, being left alone at home for too long or locked inside a cage. In other words: We humans can hurt them mentally and even cause them depression and anxiety by treating them wrong and irresponsible.
In short, for dogs, mental and physical harm is felt just as intense as for us humans.
Dogs can get depression from a lack of activity.
Dogs are not aggressive “by nature”: how else would they have been co-evolved so well alongside humans over the course of history? For every aggressive dog, there is a human responsible for its aggression. In other words, aggression is always a reaction to a problematic living condition of the dog. A lack of both cognitive and physical activity ranges among the main reasons for dogs developing behavioral problems such as aggressive behavior or even depression. In other words, locking your dog inside all day or even cratering them long-term will lead to mental illness for your pet.
That is because cratering leads to massive restriction in your dog’s movements. A dog that is locked inside a cage has a lower life expectancy due to the high level of stress and anxiety they feel while being locked away. In many countries, such as Sweden and Finland, dogs are therefore prohibited from being cratered (except for transportation and recovering after medical surgery and they like)! So, ideally, your dog should not be put in a cage at all and more and more countries finally realize how important it is to treat dogs as the complex animals they are.
So, how much activity does my dog need?
The mental well being of your dog directly correlates with how much activity and love he gets. While some dog breeds require less activity, NO DOG is happy with being locked inside the house or even inside a cage all day. A dog should be walked at least three times a day, ideally. In hot, tropical countries such as Indonesia, dogs should never get walked during hot day times (this poses the risk of heat stroke and even death) but in the morning and then again, starting in the late afternoon. Needless to say, they prefer nature and grass, instead of asphalt, loud streets and smog, blown into their faces. Try making excursions with them to the nature side as often as possible: this will not only benefit your furry friend but also your and your families physical and mental health.
Dogs originally had been bred for both cognitive and physical work. Just think about a cattle dog, navigating the herd by observing its surrounding and making sure all the sheep are safe. A truly multitasking professional! Now imagine this dog being locked inside a small place instead. And now, since you know about the complex brain of a dog, ask yourself: How would it feel, living a life like that? Dogs are not toys you can just use and then put to the side. How would YOU feel, when somebody is locking you up all day or treat you like a disposable toy?
Tips if you love dogs but have no time for an own dog due to work, lack of space etc.
If you have a deep love for dogs but find yourself caught up in a busy work schedule, a more responsible approach would be to regularly visit the local shelters. Indonesia is home to numerous shelters full of dogs eagerly awaiting your company and that of your family! Regular visits, food donations, or even sponsoring a dog, like your very own pet, are all ways to show your support and love for dogs. Recognizing that your current circumstances (work schedule, space, etc) may not be optimal for providing a dog with the care it deserves demonstrates responsibility, maturity, and compassion, not only towards animals but also towards your family, particularly your children.
Studies not only have shown the positive impact of dogs on child brain development, moreover, children exposed to socially conscious activities, such as visiting a dog shelter rather than purchasing a puppy from an exploitative puppy mill, tend to develop into more empathetic, responsible adults with enhanced social skills in early childhood. This not only benefits them later in life but also contributes positively to society as a whole.
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