# Research Says Your Dog Only Thinks About Himself



## glorybeecosta

What a touching story


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## glorybeecosta

what a lovely story, thanks


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## PuffDaddy

*I doubt it*

Thanks for posting this, because it is always interesting to see what kinds of studies are being done. However, we surely shouldn't put too much faith in any one study, especially one like this. 

You have to be careful with media covered studies like this, because the title of the article is sensational enough to the point that someone who doesn't have time to read it would walk away being misinformed. You see this time and time again in media outlets that are attempting to report "science".

However, the article does point out the flaw in this study; a dog doesn't help its owner search for a notebook and a stapler? This in no way proves that "dogs are selfish". Not all dogs are even into searching. It's a concept you often need to train. And dogs don't search for notebooks and staplers in particular unless they are specifically trained to do so (I have often though I should train Puff Daddy to find my glasses and my keys etc).These items don't have much scent and are not the kinds of textures dogs are tuned into picking up. Socks, cheese and underwear...those work! Also, this is a very small sample at 24 dogs. 

It's just one study, and a flawed one at that. But I just wanted to mention this because I am always irked by the way in which media outlets use these misleading titles to represent 'science'. 

To determine whether or not they are "selfish" you would need a much more sophisticated and well thought out study than this. And then you would need 20 more if you wanted to come close to proving anything scientifically.

I doubt that 'selfish' is even a realistic standard for comparison, as opposed to an irrelevant anthropomorphic standard. One thing is for sure, dogs are opportunists, and that is probably a more appropriate word.


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## kontiki

Tear jerker for sure about Norman, although not a spoo. Whew...

And I cannot believe the 'selfish dog' bit - certainly doesn't apply to my spoo. He is my Service Dog and constantly proves he is anything but selfish.


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