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The New Web App That Tests Your Dog's Intelligence

Pet Stop • Feb 07, 2013

Have you ever commented to a friend how smart your dog is? Maybe you have to spell words because your dog understands them, or he knows when you're sad and tries to cheer you up. Perhaps she forced you to get anelectric pet fence because she figured out the gate one too many times. At some point, you've remarked on your dog's intelligence, and now there's actually a way to test it.

A new web app titled “Dognition” is giving dog owners the ability to test their pet's cognitive abilities on several different levels, including reasoning skills, memory, and empathy. The app is game-centered, encouraging you to play with your pet in order to test their responses and abilities. 

Most dogs are trainable and many are good problem solvers, as well. In fact, dogs have different types of intelligence, just like their owners. Some are great at following directions, and others are able to identify human emotions quickly.

In an interview with CBS News, Scientist Dr. Brian Hare of Duke University explained that there has been a “revolution” in understanding the way animals think and reason. For years, he and his team have used tests to analyze intelligence in dogs, and they think it's a great idea to let owners test their own dogs in the same way.

Additionally, Dr. Hare and his team are looking forward to using data from Dognition to understand even more about animal intelligence, answering questions like: “Does breed matter?” and “Why is this dog a better problem solver than that one?”

If you're curious about your dog's intelligence, this is one way to do it, but it does come with a $60 price tag. How smart is your dog?

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