Sometimes, we get a sense that someone is troubled. But we sometimes need to be correct, of course. Dogs were said to be better than us in that sense. Science says that dogs’ instincts are more accurate when they sense a bad vibe from a person.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews published a study in their journal saying a dog can recognize factors that formulate a person’s personality. They can precisely sense when someone is “mean” to another person.
The Scientists determined the typical responses dogs have to certain events as they observed the dogs. To find out if dogs can sense how “mean” a person is.
The Scientist made the dogs witness a variety of scenarios in this experiment.
In one scenario, a volunteer helps another open a jar with a tightly sealed lid. In another, the volunteer passively helped another. In the last method, the volunteer refuses to help the person asking for it.
After they made the dog witness the different scenarios, each volunteer offered a treat to the dog.
The two volunteers who helped open the jar could treat the dog. The difference is that the dog was more likely to accept a treat from the hand of a friendlier person. On the other hand, the volunteer who did not help in opening the jar, the dog ignored it when they offered a treat.
The dog’s responses made it clear that they could sense a person’s personality. The treat was free and clear, but the dog refused to accept it because it felt that the person was unpleasant.
Next time you meet someone you’re unsure of was mean or nice, observe your dog and trust them when they seem to have a not-so-great judgment about that person.