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This is very fascinating. However, I believe your dog's glaring action is simply caused by her extraordinary sense of smell (all dogs have an enhanced olfactory system that is able to guide them through their doggy lives).
When you take away some of the kible when she is not looking, she finishes what she has in front of her and simply catches the whiff of kible that is still nearby and instinctly glares at you for the scent is coming from you.
In the instance where you add kible to her pile, therefore confusing her, she is probably not counting the added kible. She may be, however, interested in how it got there and therefore look dumbfounded or confused.
Nonetheless you have a fantastic dog that seems to be full of character. It is adorable that she takes food from her bowl and spits it out on the coach next to you and eats them up one by one.
I hope my answer has given you some useful information!
Source(s):
Personal Belief and brief conversation with a vet.
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http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/mutts-doing-math-not-so-far-fetched/179
As far as doing complex math operations... I wouldn't be so sure. But dogs are smart, as in: "street smart", as far as animals go. There's a good example in this article - http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20031008/Feature1.asp - where a mathematician's dog calculates the best angle in the water to catch a frisbee. :-)
Sure, you can see dogs doing math, but they are trained to do so, and intelligence doesn't come from training, it comes from reasoning.
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Some info in this article:
http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12847128
However another possibility depending on the "experiment" you are doing is that the animal can read changes in your body language that indicate if they are right yet or not. That's what is thought to have happened with a famous "numerate" horse, Clever Hans.
http://www.damninteresting.com/clever-hans-the-math-horse
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Even bees can count up to four (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1130060/Researchers-discover-bees-count--four.html), and many other animals have similar capabilities.
Still, definitely points to your dog for recognition! (and entertainment)
Now, for the other way around, can you count the number of spots on this dog?
http://www.magickpyg.co.uk/mediac/400_0/media/Spots~on~Spots~3.jpg
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http://www.petconnect.org/images/images/smart-dog.jpg
hi, sorry the video did not attach. The comment above can't be edited (due to Mahalo limitations that they are working on). :) I made a typo. So will post here.
Maggie is very busy and popular on the tele:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFAX55W1TQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nntGSioZPl0
Dalmatians are amongst the "so called" smarter breeds (that is, if they are well trained for intelligence and not just selected for pretty spots)
http://www.dalrescue.org/dog_smarts.htm
Over and out ..... watching my back...... because you never know how smart these little creatures are and they may take over Planet Earth. We'd better show them some serious respect. Or we will be under their mercy for our food and shelter. Cheers.....
Source(s):
listed above, and life with Dals and house bunnies
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Source(s):
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2619-lab-tricks-show-dogs-can-count.h...
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Source(s):
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/11/this_dog_can_count_and_do_math.php
http://www.cooldoghalloffame.com/dogs/can-dogs-really-do-math/139
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Answered Question
M$3.25
July 28, 2009 05:18 PM
Can Chihuahuas do basic math?
I know I stated 'Chihuahuas' but I am asking about all dogs.
My Chihuahua Lola has shown that she can do basic math.
She often takes pieces of kibble from her bowl and brings them up on the couch with me while I am sitting.
She'll spit out her various pieces of kibble, look at them, then continue to eat them one at a time.
On occasion when she is distracted and looks away, I have taken one or two pieces away from her pile. She will count as she eats and when she is finished, she will glare at me until I give her back the piece or pieces she knows that are missing.
I have also added to her pile without her knowing and I have seen her do a 'double take' to her kibble count and look at it longer.
Are dogs capable of basic math and counting, or do they just see it as 'more than' or 'less than'?
(Lola counting 1 cookie + 1 chew-chew = 2 treats!)
My Chihuahua Lola has shown that she can do basic math.
She often takes pieces of kibble from her bowl and brings them up on the couch with me while I am sitting.
She'll spit out her various pieces of kibble, look at them, then continue to eat them one at a time.
On occasion when she is distracted and looks away, I have taken one or two pieces away from her pile. She will count as she eats and when she is finished, she will glare at me until I give her back the piece or pieces she knows that are missing.
I have also added to her pile without her knowing and I have seen her do a 'double take' to her kibble count and look at it longer.
Are dogs capable of basic math and counting, or do they just see it as 'more than' or 'less than'?
(Lola counting 1 cookie + 1 chew-chew = 2 treats!)
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Best Answer Decided by Votes
| August 01, 2009 08:05 AM |
When you take away some of the kible when she is not looking, she finishes what she has in front of her and simply catches the whiff of kible that is still nearby and instinctly glares at you for the scent is coming from you.
In the instance where you add kible to her pile, therefore confusing her, she is probably not counting the added kible. She may be, however, interested in how it got there and therefore look dumbfounded or confused.
Nonetheless you have a fantastic dog that seems to be full of character. It is adorable that she takes food from her bowl and spits it out on the coach next to you and eats them up one by one.
I hope my answer has given you some useful information!
Source(s):
Personal Belief and brief conversation with a vet.
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Other Answers (9)
July 28, 2009 05:37 PM
There are some studies that show that dogs can at least count: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/mutts-doing-math-not-so-far-fetched/179
As far as doing complex math operations... I wouldn't be so sure. But dogs are smart, as in: "street smart", as far as animals go. There's a good example in this article - http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20031008/Feature1.asp - where a mathematician's dog calculates the best angle in the water to catch a frisbee. :-)
Sure, you can see dogs doing math, but they are trained to do so, and intelligence doesn't come from training, it comes from reasoning.
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July 28, 2009 05:39 PM
I don't know about what dogs specifically can do, but there is evidence of animals having a basic grasp of numbers, and even being trainable to do simple arithmetic. Some info in this article:
http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12847128
However another possibility depending on the "experiment" you are doing is that the animal can read changes in your body language that indicate if they are right yet or not. That's what is thought to have happened with a famous "numerate" horse, Clever Hans.
http://www.damninteresting.com/clever-hans-the-math-horse
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July 28, 2009 06:14 PM
I also found this great article that tries to distinguish between the actual counting vs looking a group of things to see 'more than' or 'less than'.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2619-lab-tricks-show-dogs-can-count.html
I just wish there was more concrete evidence!
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http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2619-lab-tricks-show-dogs-can-count.html
I just wish there was more concrete evidence!
July 28, 2009 06:41 PM
When doing this type of research, you need to be very careful about definitions.
"Recognsiing a number" doesn't need to be the same as "being able to count". And recognising that "number of things in group A and group B together is the same as the number of things in group C" is not exactly the same as "being able to add up".
On top of which it is tricky to do good and conclusive experiments, for example the New Scientist article is about an experiment involving just 11 dogs. And we don't know what care they took that the animals couldn't be infliuenced by cues from the humans involved.
But you can imagine that for a social mammal like dogs, detecting things like "two cubs over there, three over here, all accounted for" would be useful.
But my guess would be it's still more pattern recognition that counting. Though that is also what is going on most of the time when I see "2+3" or "25 x 4" anyway - not counting or calculations, just recognising a pattern I've seen many times before.
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"Recognsiing a number" doesn't need to be the same as "being able to count". And recognising that "number of things in group A and group B together is the same as the number of things in group C" is not exactly the same as "being able to add up".
On top of which it is tricky to do good and conclusive experiments, for example the New Scientist article is about an experiment involving just 11 dogs. And we don't know what care they took that the animals couldn't be infliuenced by cues from the humans involved.
But you can imagine that for a social mammal like dogs, detecting things like "two cubs over there, three over here, all accounted for" would be useful.
But my guess would be it's still more pattern recognition that counting. Though that is also what is going on most of the time when I see "2+3" or "25 x 4" anyway - not counting or calculations, just recognising a pattern I've seen many times before.
July 29, 2009 05:28 AM
If you take the owner out of the equation animals react differently. It's a learned interaction. Like horses that can count. Take the owner into a separate room and have someone else tell the horse to count over a speaker - nothing happens.
Cute, entertaining, fun, interesting? Yes. Not much more.
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Cute, entertaining, fun, interesting? Yes. Not much more.
July 28, 2009 05:47 PM
I think you are misinterpreting your dog's counting abilities with its capability to smell. Even though many animals have been proven to be able to count, in this case I am convinced your dog is smelling the cookie as if you were waving it in front of him/her. Even bees can count up to four (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1130060/Researchers-discover-bees-count--four.html), and many other animals have similar capabilities.
Still, definitely points to your dog for recognition! (and entertainment)
Now, for the other way around, can you count the number of spots on this dog?
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Voted as best: matthewh
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July 28, 2009 06:13 PM
You do have a good point there @mithrandir.
I do lots of little experiments with Lola, and found that she has a lower than average sense of smell. I will hide treats very close to her, and she will be slow to find them.
I have trained her using more visual cues.
When she sees me point with my finger, she will look in the direction that I am pointing to.
I know quite a few dogs that cannot do this.
I also understand that I am biased since she is my dog and can do no harm!
Oh, there are 82 spots on 'Spot' if you don't count the spots that 'Spot' is laying on!
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I do lots of little experiments with Lola, and found that she has a lower than average sense of smell. I will hide treats very close to her, and she will be slow to find them.
I have trained her using more visual cues.
When she sees me point with my finger, she will look in the direction that I am pointing to.
I know quite a few dogs that cannot do this.
I also understand that I am biased since she is my dog and can do no harm!
Oh, there are 82 spots on 'Spot' if you don't count the spots that 'Spot' is laying on!
July 28, 2009 06:21 PM
Well done!
Oh, did you know Dalmatians also have inside their mouth? AND that they are born completely spotless?
(Yes, I have a dalmatian :) )
I am sure Lola is a smart dog, many smaller dogs are! Happy training, traning keeps a dog fit, both mentally and physically.
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Oh, did you know Dalmatians also have inside their mouth? AND that they are born completely spotless?
(Yes, I have a dalmatian :) )
I am sure Lola is a smart dog, many smaller dogs are! Happy training, traning keeps a dog fit, both mentally and physically.
July 28, 2009 05:49 PM
hi, sorry the video did not attach. The comment above can't be edited (due to Mahalo limitations that they are working on). :) I made a typo. So will post here.
Maggie is very busy and popular on the tele:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFAX55W1TQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nntGSioZPl0
Dalmatians are amongst the "so called" smarter breeds (that is, if they are well trained for intelligence and not just selected for pretty spots)
http://www.dalrescue.org/dog_smarts.htm
Over and out ..... watching my back...... because you never know how smart these little creatures are and they may take over Planet Earth. We'd better show them some serious respect. Or we will be under their mercy for our food and shelter. Cheers.....
Source(s):
listed above, and life with Dals and house bunnies
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July 28, 2009 08:00 PM
I still can't get over the fact that Maggie uses her paw like that to count.
Just think if you could slip a 10 key calculator under her paw, she'd be better than the IRS when it comes to doing taxes!
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Just think if you could slip a 10 key calculator under her paw, she'd be better than the IRS when it comes to doing taxes!
July 28, 2009 06:04 PM
Yes. Interestingly, the experiment reported in New Scientist was rather similar to your own. You see if they notice when numbers of treats don't add up right. The same approach is used to determine if baby humans can count.
Source(s):
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2619-lab-tricks-show-dogs-can-count.h...
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July 28, 2009 06:05 PM
good point! one must be sure to discern the difference between
1. noticing that the amount looks smaller
2. and knowing the details of the exact number that is present or missing
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1. noticing that the amount looks smaller
2. and knowing the details of the exact number that is present or missing
July 28, 2009 07:17 PM
Intelligence does not equal popularity. Rats are very intelligent. I definitely prefer genuine rats to rat-like dogs.
http://www.pets747.com/uploaded_images/pet-rats-717589.jpg
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July 28, 2009 08:11 PM
Well, I can only hope that you see my Lola (in pic above) as less rat-like than your average rat-looking dog.
You have to admit they're pretty smart for ankle bitters. I updated my Chihuahua page with video of smart girl named Moxie.
(I'm partial to rats too since I had a few a pets when I was younger, and had a blast making mazes for them out of shoe boxes!)
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You have to admit they're pretty smart for ankle bitters. I updated my Chihuahua page with video of smart girl named Moxie.
(I'm partial to rats too since I had a few a pets when I was younger, and had a blast making mazes for them out of shoe boxes!)
July 29, 2009 01:37 AM
Yes, Dogs can count. There is a special trainer who often shows off her dog's counting abilities featured on Animal Planet and other places.
Source(s):
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/11/this_dog_can_count_and_do_math.php
http://www.cooldoghalloffame.com/dogs/can-dogs-really-do-math/139
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July 29, 2009 05:21 PM
I think they see it as more or less than. I also believe it has to do with scent. Dogs have a very powerful sense of smell and when your dog laid that kibble on the couch, each piece left a scent on the couch and in the air when you took it away. The dog "knew" what was going on. When you added more, he could tell his scent was not on it, but yours was.
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