A new study published in the journal Learning & Behavior suggests that dogs may not possess the exceptional intelligence many dog lovers believe. The research compares canine cognition with that of other carnivores, social hunters, and domesticated animals, including wolves, cats, dolphins, chimpanzees, pigs, and pigeons.
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The researchers examined various aspects of animal behavior, focusing on sensory, physical, spatial, and social cognition, as well as self-awareness. Their findings indicate that dog cognition does not stand out as exceptional among these species.
Despite this conclusion, the study highlights areas where dogs perform adequately or even better than others. For instance, while dogs may not excel in physical cognition involving interaction with objects, they show average ability in social cognition, particularly in reading human cues. However, the overarching conclusion remains that there is currently no evidence to support the idea of canine exceptionalism when considering a wide range of comparison species.