Dogs Want to Be Their Master's Knight in Shining Armor but Don't Always Know How, Study Says

Have you ever wondered if dogs like Lassie, Old Yeller, and Air Bud actually exist? A recent study suggests that even your pet dog could be one of those hero-type dogs. The only thing holding them back is that they don't always know how to act when faced with troublesome situations.

Researchers have tested a total of 60 dogs, all of whom took part in the study with their owners. They formulated a string of tests to assess the canine's desire to come to their owner's aid without confusion from the influence of the comfort of food.

To obtain a clear image of the dog's intent, the authors used three scenarios to gauge their response. In the first plot, the owner was seemingly trapped in a box while crying for help. In the second one, the dogs were made to observe while the researchers dropped appetizing snacks into the box.

Finally, for the third scenario, the owner also appeared to be stuck inside a box, but was relaxed and reading aloud. The same style of box was used in all three scenarios, which had a lightweight door that the pets could easily open if they knew how to.

Later on, the researchers noticed that the dog's understanding of how the door works could be a factor in retrieving their owners. Moreover, after accounting for the dog's ability to open the door, the researchers found that the pets willingly wanted to rescue their owner more often when it seemed like they were in distress, compared to when they were just reading and relaxing.

This means that although seeking contact with their master was a motivation for some dogs, the desire to reach the owners when they were in distress was great. According to the authors of the study, although contact with their owners was definitely a motivation for most dogs, it was evident that the pets' desire to rescue their owners in distressing situations was strong.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal PLOS ONE in mid-April.

Also Read: Truly man's best friend: How dogs can make you live longer

Dogs to the Rescue

Furthermore, the study revealed that the motivation to reclaim their anxious owner or delectable snack was similar to roughly one-third of the dogs having triumphed in each scenario.

Additionally, the dogs showed visible signs of distress when their owners were trapped and crying for help. The researchers reported witnessing stress behaviors such as barking and whining from the canines. Such a response constitutes an emotional contagion, displaying how our emotions can be transferred to our pets, they add.

This shows that the rescue behavior is compassionately motivated, structured upon the dog's emotional motive to rescue us rather than trying to deduce some personal benefit. The findings also showed that experience was vital as the dogs' success in the food-motivated task as well as prior experience opening doors at home firmly predicted if the dogs would succeed in releasing their owners.

Canines Care

According to a statement by Clive Wynne, a psychologist from Arizona State University, dogs will innately attempt to rescue people who appear to be in pain or adversity. Even without prior training, dogs will come to the rescue and will even seem disappointed if they fail in their attempt.

Another research discussed by Huffpost reveals that dogs could be able to tell when their owners are being disregarded or humiliated by someone else. In turn, the canines acted coldly toward the people who dissed their owners. In the experiment, dogs watched as their owners were either ignored or given positive responses after asking for help.

The astounding majority of the dogs whose owners didn't receive assistance, rejected food offered to them by the person who had shunned their human. According to scientists, their behavior is likely a form of social eavesdropping. In conclusion, the findings point to nothing else but the fact that your dog has your back.