Dogs love humans more than they love treats | Research
There are no words to explain the amount of affection and love we hold for our adorable furry companions. However, many people think that the reason dogs love their owners is because they think of them as ‘tall servants’ who feed them and take them on walks.
But research has found an answer to this. According to science, dogs love their owners more than they love treats!
The research
During the research, dogs were trained to stay in an MRI machine. Then, they were shown signs about whether they would get a treat or see their owner. Many dogs responded more strongly to seeing their beloved humans.
Another experiment showed humans a bowl of food and humans, and as expected! Their response to their favorite human was stronger than that to food.
Conclusion
This showed that dogs love their owners more than food, and their relationship with them is not just strictly tied to being taken care of.
The evolution of dogs over the years has played a fundamental role in changing the behavior of dogs. This holds true not just for canines but also for other animals in the animal kingdom. Dogs are ‘learning machines’.
They pick up habits from their ancestors. They adopt habits in reproduction, flight, feeding, and fight. Domestication of dogs has also made it easier for them to give up a few traits.
But there are a few breeds that still show the same behavior as their ancestors. Dogs now are much more friendly and loving. This is because, now, humans need dogs not as guards, helpers, or workers, but as companions. Their job is to help humans and ease them mentally. Hence, they have changed their behaviors to adapt to the new set of responsibilities for them.
When dogs were used for hunting purposes, they would have to enhance their hunting abilities to aid their humans in help. Now, their hunting abilities are not used.
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