Sept. 21, 2006 — Dogs, like humans, seem to enjoy watching playful competitions among others, and they even gravitate toward winners at the end of the game, according to a recent Animal Behavior journal study that analyzed canine spectators.
The researchers believe their discovery represents the first demonstration of any animal eavesdropping within the context of play. In this case, dogs appear to gain information about another dog or human’s social status and ability just by watching that individual compete.
Pooches excitedly rush toward victors when games finish, not unlike enthusiastic human sports fans at a stadium.
"I believe that within the context of a game, dogs prefer winners because they are likely to be a fun and effective partner with which to play," lead author Nicola Rooney told Discovery News.
Rooney, a researcher in the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol in England, added, "One plausible function of play is that it serves as a ‘safe context’ in which to test one’s own competitive ability. An animal will learn more from playing with an able partner than with a lower quality one."
She and colleague John Bradshaw studied 18 canine spectators in a group that included labrador retrievers, springer spaniels and one golden retriever.
In an initial experiment, a dog was matched with a human competitor in a tug-of-war contest over a knotted rope toy. Each of the canine spectators was brought in on a leash to view matches.
For some games, the human competitor made it clear that he or she was playing by performing moves that dogs seem to associate with playtime. These include play bows, where the person gets down on all fours with their forequarters lowered and arms outstretched; forward lunges, where the individual makes sudden, yet non-threatening, movements toward the dog competitor; and feet shuffling, which involves rapid movement of the feet while in a standing position.
After such competitions, the spectator canine would rapidly approach the human or doggy winner with a cheerful gait holding its ears and tail up, signifying a desire to interact with the victor.
