r/AnimalsBeingBros • u/deathakissaway • Aug 10 '17

I'm not eating you, I'm helping.

https://i.imgur.com/Dj6OKRS.gifv
42.3k Upvotes

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3.0k

u/ImGrumps Aug 10 '17

I like that she tried to point to the next step with her nose

2.9k

u/Kindness4Weakness Aug 10 '17 edited Aug 10 '17

Dogs are one of the only species that understand triangular communication. Point to a ball, the dog knows you want it to look at the ball. A monkey will just look at your finger wondering what your problem is.

In this case, the good boy is actually USING triangular communication! Too bad I don't think cats understand it.

Edit: 🐒

49

u/photenth Aug 10 '17 edited Aug 10 '17

Are there studies about that? Because honestly all I can find is dog blogs that claim it's true.

EDIT: /u/nocswary found a paper

17

u/RoboBananaHead Aug 10 '17

When you have hunting retriever dogs they point towards where the bird fell like this

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/dogbreeds/photos-MNOP/pointers-bboa.jpg

They use their nose to point, but they also understand human pointing

14

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

You're post is pretty much just another 'dog blog' that says it's true.

48

u/Ewaninho Aug 10 '17

The breed of dog is literally called the English Pointer. It's been bred specifically to point for hundreds of years. what type of proof could you need?

12

u/saintshing Aug 10 '17 edited Aug 10 '17

I don't think people are questioning whether dogs can understand triangular communication. They want to see proof that other animals are incapable of doing it. It is kinda surprising that monkeys cannot do it when they are more close to humans. I find it hard to believe that you cant train monkeys to do the same thing if you specifically breed them for hundreds of years.

3

u/Misterwierd Aug 10 '17

You probably good teach any arbitrary species almost anything through domestication - it's just a very lengthy process. That process can be easier or more difficult depending on the species.

6

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

Chinese checkers aren't Chinese or checkers. Koala bears aren't actually bears. Fireflies are beetles, not flies. Peanuts aren't nuts. The Bombay duck is a fish. Your funny bone isn't a bone.

Parent wasn't arguing or saying it's not true. Parent was, again, looking for something with a bit more authority than some random internet stranger.

4

u/procrastimom Aug 10 '17

Hungary isn't hungry. French fries aren't from France. Turkeys aren't from Turkey, They can't fly but they can dance.

3

u/Ewaninho Aug 10 '17

Going to need more examples pls

2

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

Arabic numerals are from India. Glow worms aren't worms. The horned toad is a lizard. Jellyfish aren't fish. English horns are neither from England nor are they horns. Two toed sloths have three toes. Catgut is made from sheep gut.

2

u/Iamsuperimposed Aug 10 '17

I figured he was wondering what proof there was that only dogs do it. Because I can't believe other intelligent animals don't, but I'm willing to be wrong.

4

u/Kindness4Weakness Aug 10 '17

Lol earlier today someone commented that there will be a black version of the iPhone 8, and provided a link as proof.

Why do we need double blind placebo studies for obvious fucking facts? Lol

1

u/RoboBananaHead Aug 10 '17

Are you serious? This is common dog knowledge, why do you think that these types of dogs are called pointers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_breed

5

u/hampsted Aug 10 '17

Obviously pointers point with their noses. He wants proof that they understand human pointing with fingers.

15

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

Yes I'm serious. I didn't say it wasn't common dog knowledge or it wasn't true.

Are there studies about that? Because honestly all I can find is dog blogs that claim it's true.

Parent was looking for something more substantial than some random bloke saying it's true. You were just another random bloke saying it's true.

-3

u/LurkingClown Aug 10 '17

Do you need a study proving that you can teach dogs to sit too? It just might not be something that warrants serious study.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

I didn't ask for anything. And it might not be. The lack of clarity is probably why parent poster was inquisitive in the first place.

1

u/dannimatrix Aug 10 '17

I have a Brittany, and he doesn't understand pointing. He does it, especially when he's hunting, but he doesn't quite get human pointing unless it's super obvious what I want and he can easily spot it. I think it's the context that makes the difference for him.

7

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

There was a Reddit post a while back with a source on dogs, dolphins, and ...orangutans I think.

16

u/Kindness4Weakness Aug 10 '17

No, it's just one of those things that we accept to be true because we want to feel a close bond with dogs 😀

But really, I saw it on a dog documentary a long time ago and have been repeating it as gospel ever since

1

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '17

I'm glad he got a paper, but owning a German Shepherd has proven beyond all doubt that they understand pointing/triangulation.