Haven’t we all gone awww at the sight of those beguiling innocent eyes of our four-legged friends? Well, a new study published in the Scientific Reports journal suggests that dogs can deliberately manipulate their facial expressions for communication.
For many people, this furry animal is like family and they often claim that their dog understands them and this research validates it. Your dog can anticipate your reactions to their expressions.
Amusing, isn’t it?
Juliane Kaminski of University of Portsmouth told Hindustan Times: “The findings appear to support evidence… that expressions are potentially active attempts to communicate.:
Earlier, these expressions were considered to be involuntary.
These affectionate beings were noted to “move their faces” when they found themselves to be the centre of attention of humans.
The most reappearing expression was the big eyes, brows-raised ‘puppy dog eyes’ which I’m sure is glued to the hearts of all dog-owners.
Like any person who is used to your love and fondness and finds your eyes and ears elsewhere, these dogs too were inert when humans were absentminded, despite them offering food to the dog.
Previous researches have established that dogs are adept with skills to know how attentive the surrounding people are. A study revealed that when humans had eyes closed or back turned, they stole food more often and with ease.
Kaminski added, “We now know dogs make more facial expressions when the human is paying attention.”
Now we know what prompts that heartwarming goofiness.
According to the researchers, although it can’t be stated that dogs have the emotional intelligence to determine and pinpoint exact human feelings, this research brought out that dogs possess the eminent human intelligence of awareness.
Another way to approach the conclusions of this research is that our furry friends might be aware of what their facial expressions emanates, hence they change it in the presence and attention of others.
Manipulative or not, we love those ‘puppy eyes’ and the source completely.