Abstract

BENTOSELA, MARIANA  and  MUSTACA, ALBA E. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DOMESTIC DOGS (CANIS FAMILIARIS) AND HUMANS. rev.latinoam.psicol. [online]. 2007, vol.39, n.2, pp.375-387. ISSN 0120-0534.

Domestic dogs (Canis Familiaris) have shown to have a series of cognitive abilities which allow them to respond to signals given by humans. Specifically, dogs are able to detect and respond to signals such as the human visual and head orientation, as well as signals given by humans with the hands. We review the literature on dog social cognition. The evidence shows that dogs' abilities are greater than those of other canines, as well as those of other genetically related species such as primates, but whose ancestry did not share as much the human environment. Dogs communication ability seems to be a product of the domestication process. The reviewed research also indicates the importance of learning processes in these abilities.

Keywords : dogs; humans; etho-psychology; interespecific communication; learning, domestication.