When Dogs Are Doing Nothing, What Are They Actually Thinking?

Dogs may not have the same cognitive capacity as humans, but that doesn’t mean they don’t think! Here’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about what goes on in those canine heads.

How Do We Know They Think?

Brain scans indicate that dogs process information similarly to humans. Multiple studies indicate that dogs respond to familiar smells and meaningful, positive phrases with a reward center light-up in their brains.

Are They Good At Thinking?

Most experts believe that dogs have a cognitive level of a child between the ages of three and five. This means they’re great at stimuli reaction and can make associations.

What’s On Their Minds?

There’s no real way to know for sure what a dog is thinking, but you can probably guess from their body language, gestures, and mannerisms. A dog wagging their tail is thinking happy thoughts, and a dog barking loudly at a newcomer is probably mistrustful.

What About Emotion?

Dogs do experience emotions, too, but at a much smaller range than adult humans do. They feel happy, frightened, or aggravated.

Do They Think Happy Thoughts?

Dogs process scents of their owners and praise from their owners as positive input, associating them with good things in their brains’ reward centers. This means they probably think happy thoughts about us. They also have been found to think happy thoughts about food!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay