Whether they are leading the blind down busy city streets, sniffing out drugs on travelers in the airport, or detecting cancer, dogs are incredibly intelligent and can be trained to do amazing things for people all around the world. But where does this intelligence as bright as the average human, both averaging 100 IQ points, come from? The simple answer: a lemon-sized ball of tissue made up of 500 million buzzing neurons called a brain.
What is your Pup Really Thinking?
Your brown-eyed, bushy tailed friend has hundreds of thoughts rushing through their head every day. While you may think all your pup’s thoughts are centered around meal and walk time, it turns out there is much more behind the bark.
Studies have shown that while observed under an MRI, dogs show significant spikes in emotion when hearing sounds like a baby crying, similar to humans. Not only this, but in response to their emotions, they can talk back to you through body language and sounds. You may notice this after a long walk, during meal time, or if they are hurt, in ways such as groans, barks, head drooping, and more.
Humans and dogs are one of the best pairs when it comes to understanding each other's emotions and gestures. Many believe this is due to the fact that dogs have been a man’s best friend since ancient times. Some even question whether dogs played a part in human evolution and changed how we behave today. Let’s face it, we all strive to have a deep emotional connection to our pup and feel like we couldn’t survive without each other. From the beginning of our interaction with dogs, we have been breeding our pups to understand our language more and more with every generation. Before you know it, dogs will be eating at our dinner table!
Just How Smart is the Dog’s Brain?
As mentioned earlier, the average dog’s IQ is 100, which is also considered average for a human. Obviously dogs cannot take a math test and get a score, so pup’s like to show off their talent in other ways. One of the most impressive to me would be their ability to learn gestures and language. Dogs can learn a whopping 165 words in their lifetime! These commands come in handy whether your dog is sniffing out cancer or just training to stop jumping on your furniture.
Many of us already know that dogs have an incredible sense of smell. This plays a huge role in recognizing people and other dogs. But just how good is this part of the brain? The part of a dog's brain used to detect smells is 40 times greater than the average human’s. Not only this, but your pup inhibits a striking 300 million scent receptors in their nose! Meanwhile, our nose contains only 6 million. Now you may be asking how these dogs can use their talent in the real world. The answer to this is endless; From sniffing drowning people in a lake under 80 feet of water to finding lost travelers buried under rubble, dogs can do it all.
Interesting Facts
Dog’s intelligence is equal to a 2 to 5 year old kid
Your pup is able to smell 40 feet underground
Dogs are able to hear sounds up to a quarter mile away
Dogs have a Jacobson organ, which picks up chemical cues from other animals
Dogs can recognize people by their voice
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it! I find this topic very interesting, as there is always more to learn about our furry friends! This series, Behind the Bark, is all about the science behind your dog! Stay tuned for blogs in and outside this series. Comment below if there are any other pup features you want to learn about next!
Keep calm and wag on!
Are Dogs Smarter than Cats? Science has an answer | National Geographic. (n.d.) Retrieved May 11, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/11/dog-cat-brains-neurons-intelligence-study-spd/
Brain Scans Reveal Dogs’ Thoughts | Scientific American (n.d.) Retrieved May 11, 2020, from
Dog Brain Facts: Understanding Canine Cognition | PetMD. (n.d.) Retrieved May 11, 2020, from
Dogs as smart as 2-year-old Kids | LiveScience. (n.d.) Retrieved May 11, 2020, from
Dogs’ Dazzling Sense of Smell | NOVA (n.d.) Retrieved May 11, 2020, from
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