Dogs are surprisingly perceptive
Dogs are surprisingly perceptive
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In recent years, however, scientific research has shown that while dogs aren't quite the noble sages the ancient Greeks perceived them to be, they're closer in intelligence and perception skills to humans and other primates than previously thought. According to Coren, a dog can comprehend human speech and can have a vocabulary of more than 150 words, is able to solve complex problems, and even is capable of willfully tricking another dog. Moreover, evidence shows that canines study humans for cues and have some ability to interpret nuances like facial expressions. Researchers at Japan's Azabu University, for example, have been able to train canine subjects to differentiate between a smile and a blank expression in photographs of human faces. If a dog can identify a smile, it's not that much of a stretch to assume that it can pick up on the clenched teeth and wide eyes of a frightened person, not to mention changes in posture and gait.
But some canine experts think that even if you manage to keep a placid face and remain still while you're terrified, a dog will still be able to detect your fear. That's because humans, like other animals, experience physiological changes, like changes in breathing rate and perspiration, as a result of the flight-or-fight response. In particular, we involuntarily give off chemicals called pheromones when we're alarmed. Because a dog's sense of smell is thousands of times more sensitive than ours, most likely a dog can detect those chemicals, says Alexandra Horowitz, author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know."
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