The dog is man's best friend. Since ancient times dogs have accompanied man. It has been part of human civilization for some time. Taking care of a dog is important, as dogs have better memory than people give them credit for.
People could recall events very well. While there is still speculation if most animals could have the same memory as people do, there is growing evidence that some might be able to remember as vividly as humans. One of these animals would be the dog, which has been the closest animal to man.
Researchers have found that dog can very well recall past events. The study's results should not be a surprise to people, as Claudia Fugazza of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group based in Budapest, Hungary said. She said that the study should break down artificial barriers that separates man from animals. That is most true for what has been considered as man's best friend.
For the study, dogs were taught to do a children's game called "Do As I Do." The dogs first watched what a person would do, and then would what has been acted. Much of that has already been known for those who train dogs. What the study has found is that dogs would do it even if they're not expecting any reward.
The test has shown that dogs have what is called an episodic memory. For dog owners, this has been known for some time, such as when a dog would avoid a place that might be associated with a bad event, according to Gizmodo. While this shows a type of episodic memory, it is still not clear whether it is actually episodic memory or semantic memory, which is memory used as a means of survival.
The test that has been done shows that dogs have an episodic memory. This was done by having the dogs taught how to lie down. Once the dogs could lie down well, researchers then say to them to do it. The researchers noted that the dogs would do it even if there is no reward or reason for doing it, as Science Daily reports. This is said to be proof of episodic memory for dogs.
While there is evidence that other animals such as rats and primates have episodic memory, further evaluation has to be done. Fugazza said that the same approach used on dogs could be used on other animals to determine if they have the same episodic memory. What is clear is that dogs have better memory than people give them credit for, which makes them even more valuable in human civilization. A new theory has also come out as to why dogs are man's best friend.
