Does a Dog reason, or react; smell, taste, needs etc...

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   dutchman1951posted 12 years ago

   This is crazy I know, but I swear, at times I really think my Dog Benny can reason and think Indipendently.
   
   No basis but I really think it at times.
   
   you guys who know tell me?

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2. 60

   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   Yes. They have memories that never forget.
   A dog will often decide whether to fight or not. A little spider runs away from a bigger spider. How does it know? I had a lizard show off for me the other day. Run up walls hang up-side-down, drop on its back and in four inches flip over on its stomach. What for except, he knows I am watching.

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   1. 61

      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      well, you may have something. Mine sure looks like he does.

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   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   Why would a dog not be able to reason and think independently?  The dog descends from the wolf which had an independent life that required thought and problem solving abilities.

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4. 60

   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   There have tests done with groundhogs like I have said here before. Send a guy through
   the field with a red shirt and they will create a sound symbol for it. Send one through with a blue shirt and they will create a different sound symbol. If animals were intelligent they couldn't slaughter them as the do. Same with people.

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   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   Dogs can definately reason and solve problems and display emotions and be funny to get a laugh.
   
   For many years I had 3 Old English Sheepdogs at the same time and they were clearly more or less able to reason one more than the other.  We used to discuss which dog was the most clever, Snoopy who was huge and understood how doors worked from knobs and handles to bolts and keys - but was he more clever than his 'wife' Jenny who would go find him and get him to come and open doors for her (he would invariably return to bed!).

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   Valemanposted 12 years ago

   I believe most animals have the ability to reason, as they would need to to survive.  Some animals depend more on instinct than others, but even humans are instinctive creatures, although we may have more reasoning ability than much of the animal kingdom.  My cat has a way of making me do what he wants.  If I try to ignore him, he will knock over ornaments and make himself generally obvious.  There has to be a certain degree of reasoning for him to have worked out that I don't like broken ornaments, and that pushing them over will get what he wants.

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   Here is a little experiment.
   Give a working dog a herd of sheep to work, and hand the controls to someone who can't handle dogs or sheep.
   
   The dog will work out what is wrong and despite being directed to do all the wrong things, will round up the sheep without a problem.
   
   I believe dogs can think, some can think very well. A lot of dog training is using the dog's instinct and breeding of course, but can a dog reason? I think so.
   The psychologist Marie Louisse Von Franz gave an example of he dog being able to reason.
   
   As I recall, her dog was instructed to stay off the couch, but reasoned it was not permitted to get on any of the other places in the room that were above ground level. Not GOOD thinking, but thinking nonetheless.

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      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am convinced my Irish Setter can.

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   uncorrectedvisionposted 12 years ago

   My dog is a mix - Labrador Retriever and Blue Heeler.  She is whip smart and takes the lead on our walks.  Dogs and humans have lived together for so long that they appear to read our minds.  National Geographic about ten years ago published a very good article about that long connection.  The grave of a prehistoric hunter from nearly 15000 years ago was unearthed in Europe.  The hunter was buried with all the important things from his life.  A jug for water, some food, a spear and, in his hand, a puppy.
   
   If they aren't human like intelligent they are so close to use that they know how smart we are.

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   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   The ultimate proof is that dogs don't have religion.

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    FiveDogsposted 12 years ago

    Yes, I do believe that dogs have a natuarl instinct to reason and "perform" if you will, for it's human. Mine do it all the time. Dogs have this way of watching you without looking at you. They know when you are looking at them or not. If one were to really study Canis Familiars they would find they are quite a unique species. They do have the capabilities to reason, and think for themselves. Just try to get a dog to come in when they don't want to. Mine will just sit by the fence and look out at the world outside that fence. He will ignore all my calls and temptations to come in and just sit and look. When he does come inside, he does so begrudgingly. And gives me that look like he's saying,"When I'm 18 I'm so out of here." So I'd say they do have the same reasoning power that we do to a degree. And they are big show offs for their humans.

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