BBC Knowledge 2017 02

GETTY X7, ISTOCK

Paws for thought

So, it appears that dogs build bridges between people and

make their owners seem more trustworthy. These may be

the main benefits that dogs provide for veterans of conf lict

who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and

other mental health difficulties. Although it has been

suggested that all veterans should have dogs, some find dog

ownership too difficult. Trained PTSD dogs will bring the

same stress-reducing benefits as any dog, but, to be effective,

they also need to be trained to respond to the needs of their

owner, whether that’s waking them from nightmares,

bringing medicines, or leading them to safety when they

experience a panic attack.

A dog’s capacity to bring people together may also explain

their effectiveness in many kinds of therapy, including the

benefits that dogs bring to nursing homes, especially to those

institutions that care for individuals suffering from dementia.

In one recent Italian study, scientists examined the reactions

of dog-loving residents to regular half-hour sessions with

therapy dogs. Playing with the dogs brought about

DOG MYTHS BUSTED

Forever friends: 12,000-year-old

skeletal remains of a human and dog,

photographed in Israel

OLD DOGS CAN’T BE TAUGHT

NEW TRICKS

Nonsense. Like all animals, dogs find it easier

to learn while they’re young, but their brains

are still capable of altering established

patterns of behaviour, well into middle age.

A HEALTHY DOG ALWAYS HAS

A WET NOSE

Partly true. While a dry nose may be a sign

of illness or dehydration, it may also be

because the dog has just woken up and

not licked its nose yet.

DOGS HAVE A BETTER SENSE

OF SMELL THAN CATS DO

Yes and no. If we’re talking about the dog’s

actual nose, then it is 10 to 100 times more

sensitive than a cat’s. But both cats and

dogs have a second ‘nose’ called the

vomeronasal organ, and the cat’s is

the more sensitive.

DOGS NEED TO BE

‘KEPT IN THEIR PLACE’

No. Current scientific thinking on dogs’ minds

indicates that they are highly unlikely to have

any concept of their position within the family

hierarchy. Furthermore, although physical

punishment used to be a staple technique in

dog training, studies have shown that it creates

disobedient and anxious dogs.

DOGS CAN FEEL GUILTY

Nope, their emotions are probably restricted

to simple ‘gut feelings’ like joy, anger, fear

and anxiety. The clues that owners interpret

as a dog’s ‘guilty look’ are actually signs

that the dog is anticipating punishment,

but doesn’t know what it’s done wrong.

DOGS PREFER CANINE

COMPANY

Wrong again. Given the choice, most dogs

prefer to spend time with people, and

become distressed when their owners

leave the house. Therefore, taking dogs

to work probably benefits them even

more than their owners.

| ANIMALS

NATURE

68 74 February 2017February 2017