Leading theories suggest that dogs evolved from gray wolves between 15,000 to 40,000 years ago. Today, the leading question arises: are modern dogs more intelligent than their wolf ancestors?
Dogs Vs. Wolves: Testing Canine Intelligence
According to experts like Juliane Bräuer from the Max Planck Institute, intelligence comparison is inappropriate, as both species adapt to their environments.
A popular experiment in a 2021 study, published in the journal Current Biology, that measures canine intelligence revealed that 44 puppies were twice as likely as 28 wolf pups to find the hidden food in cups. The findings suggest that dogs have an innate understanding of humans.
Hannah Salomons, a co-author of the study, noted that there seems to be an inherent aspect of dog cognition that allows them to comprehend pointing tasks and understand people's intentions.
In a separate study in 2017 that includes Bräuer, experimented with shaking cups containing food. Both dogs and wolves identified the cup with food, but when an empty cup was shaken, the wolves remained stationary, while dogs still approached. This indicates that wolves might have a better grasp of cause and effect than dogs.
Bräuer explained that wolves' adaptation to their forested hunting environment, where they are responsible for obtaining their food without human assistance, contributes to their understanding of causality.
The result mirrored a 2009 study in which dogs tended to follow human cues for tasks, even when evidence suggested a more logical strategy. Wolves, on the other hand, made choices based on observation. Dogs' responses paralleled those of human infants, emphasizing a preference for following adult human examples over potentially more rational alternatives.
Friederike Range, from the Wolf Science Center, highlighted various tests measuring cognitive skills in dogs and wolves. The center's research suggests that wolves excel in teamwork, while dogs, shaped by domestication, are more adept at performing tasks with humans, revealing a distinct picture shaped by domestication for dogs.
Animals Evolve Cognition in a Way That Help Them Survive
These comparisons between dogs and wolves highlight the diverse forms of intelligence, emphasizing the intricate connection between animals and their natural environments.
The evaluation of intelligence depends on the context, with wolves excelling in survival without human presence, while dogs thrive in human-dominated environments. The evolution of cognition in animals aligns with their specific environmental demands, stressing the interconnectedness of their success and preservation.
The purpose of these tests is not to rank the intelligence of dogs against wolves but to gain insights into the diverse ways they navigate their surroundings, experts assert.
Comparing intelligence, even among humans, is challenging, given the different skill sets individuals possess. The analogy is drawn to comparing the intelligence of individuals like Van Gogh and Einstein, acknowledging their distinct abilities and roles, which apply similarly to animals.
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