Dogs and people are more alike than you think: scientists have figured out exactly how

In a new study published in the journal Animal Cognition, La Trobe University scientists determined

six key markers of executive function indogs. Many of them turned out to overlap with structures that are associated with human cognition, including the ability to follow instructions, control physical impulses and use working memory.

Dogs regulate their behavior in the same way asyoung children, even though animals express it differently, said Maike Foraita, lead researcher at La Trobe University. “A domestic dog learns to control its impulses in the same way as a child does; she suppresses the urge to chew furniture or bark at visitors, can remember daily routines and do what her owner says,” explains the scientist.

Foraita explains that dogs probably developedthese human cognitive structures have been living in domestic environments for tens of thousands of years. “Living with humans for the last 30,000 years, dogs have depended on behavioral regulation appropriate to the human environment for their own survival,” the scientist concludes.

So, dogs that attacked the owners or stole food from their plates could be kicked out of the house. So, over time, they have evolved cognitive functions to secure the right to food and care.

Study co-author, Tiffany Howell, saidthat the study highlights why dogs have such a special relationship with humans. “There are other animals that have the same level of cognition as dogs, but they do not regulate their behavior in ways that are best suited for living with people,” the scientist concludes.

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