Science says your dog can count, meaning they know exactly how many snacks you’re handing out and when you’re slacking.
So, the next time those puppy eyes try to guilt you into tossing an extra biscuit their way, just remember that they’re doing the math and will notice if you shortchange them.
In 2019, researchers from Emory University found that our pooches have a basic understanding of numbers. They use a distinct part of their brains that is closely related to number-responsive neural regions in humans.
“Our work not only shows that dogs use a similar part of their brain to process numbers of objects as humans do—it shows that they don’t need to be trained to do it,” said Gregory Berns, a senior author of the study and a professor of psychology at Emory University.
The research team scanned the brains of 11 dog breeds using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while the canines looked at different numbers of dots on a screen. They were not given any advanced training prior to the study.
The results revealed that the dogs’ parietotemporal cortex responded to variations in the number of dots. Eight of the 11 dogs demonstrated greater activation in the parietotemporal cortex when the number of dots varied.
The researchers knew the dogs were not reacting to the size of the dots because that remained consistent. So, dogs have the ability to process basic numbers and get a general idea of what is more and less.
The skill does not rely on symbolic thought or training. In fact, it seems to be present throughout the animal kingdom.
The findings suggest that this ability has been preserved across mammalian evolution. For example, previous research has found that certain neurons in the parietal cortex of monkeys are responsive to numerical values.
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Estimating the quantity of objects in a scenario, such as the number of predators approaching or the amount of food available for foraging, is critical for survival in the wild.
In humans, the parietal cortex appears to be responsible for this ability. Humans and dogs are separated by about 80 million years of evolution, but they share a neural mechanism that goes way back.
“Part of the reason that we are able to do calculus and algebra is because we have this fundamental ability for numerosity that we share with other animals,” said Lauren Aulet, the first author of the study.
“I’m interested in learning how we evolved that higher math ability and how these skills develop over time in individuals, starting with basic numerosity in infancy.”
Someday, these insights may lead to practical applications like treating abnormalities in the brain and improving artificial intelligence systems.
The study was published in the journal Biology Letters.
