How smart is the average dog? Smarter than you might think! "They may not be Einsteins, but are sure closer to humans than we thought," said Dr. Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and leading researcher on dog behavior.
The average dog can:
* Understand about 165 words, including signs, signals and gestures.
* Count to about five.
Included in the number of "words" dogs are believed to know are hand gestures, like pointing, and nonverbal sounds, like the whistles used to direct sheep dogs and retrievers.
Counting ability is tested in drills such as one in which treats are dropped, one at a time, behind a screen. When the researcher either sneaks away one of the treats or stealthily adds an extra before raising the screen, the dog will wait longer -- appearing to puzzle over the bad math -- before eating the treats.
That's the same way toddlers respond when faced with a similar switch, said Coren.
Dr. Aubrey Fine, a psychologist and faculty member at California State Polytechnic University, said research like Coren's could help dog owners better relate to their animals.
"Too often, many people look at dogs as four-legged people," said Fine, who specializes in the use of dogs in treating patients with developmental disorders and other mental-health conditions. "We need to recognize what dogs cue in to. Once you understand better how to interact, it causes a better coexistence with your pet companion."
Coren said the findings on dog intelligence showed they have more sense than some scientists may have thought, but that some in the general public may be surprised for different reasons that span a wide range of thought.
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