Who is smarter, dogs or chimps?

I was reading an interesting article which states that in many ways dogs are smarter than chimpanzees. You can check it out here if you'd like. What's your opinion?

 

Dogs have had a relationship with humans since the dawn of time. Dogs can generally instinctively get along with us and can often tell how we are feeling. They are also manipulative in getting what they want.

I vote that dogs are smarter than chimps even before reading the link.

 

I agree with Aragon_0. When I talk to my Homer, I sometimes see he really understands me, I'm sure of it. And he is quite crafty, he always knows what to do to get what he wants

 

Good points by both of you. I can tell my dog is very tuned in to my expressions and non verbal cues. From what I'm reading, other animals don't have the same awareness when it comes to interacting with us.

 

Well, I have never really been exposed to a Chimp other then at the Zoo so I really can't compare the two. But what I do know is that dogs are very intelligent in their own right. Dogs can also be very in tune to humans, understanding the differences in the humans emotions. They can tell when someone is sad or angry. They can also tell when someone isn't well. So, I do know that dogs have a good insight about them. As I said above I can't really judge a Chimp on whether they actually have such qualities.

 

It's probably the Chimp. But when it comes to getting in tuned with the humans and what humans do, I am pretty sure dogs are way smarter. The Secret Life of Dogs documentary mentioned this in one of their segments. It talked about the intelligence of primates and dogs. Dogs pick human cues a lot faster than chimps.

 

That's probably right on the money haoppee. I suppose it all depends on how you measure intelligence. In many ways, according to research, even some birds are smarter than most mammals and are equivalent to a 4 year old child in intelligence.

 

We've always considered Mishka as a two year old child.

 

LOL. Please tell me Mishka does tantrums too...I can't imagine seeing her with her back on the floor throwing a fit seeing that you won't get her the chicken inside the grocery store.

"I want my chicken!!!"

 

No she doesn't really have tantrums as such. It's more her understanding of things. For instance I will say where's mum and she will go and get the Frisbee.
Or in the middle of the night she will whimper that she can't get up the staircase or can't open the fly-wire door during the day which she does hundreds of times. I think those sorts of things makes her a two year old.

 

I hope you don't mind me asking but why is the Frisbee associate with mum? LOL. Perhaps I could also ask Peanuts to associate the word tyrant to a person at home. I've always wondered if that worked...

Okay Chooey, where's the couch potato?

I like it that she understands the rules. It's nice to live with a dog who understands what boundaries are.

 

I'm sure it's nice...but I'm not saying it from my own experience . For my Homer boundaries do not exist. He is a little anarchist . A very cute one. But today he wanted to play and I told him I'm busy and he immediately ran to look for somebody else to play with, so I think he understood me

 

Well, it's a good thing he didn't give you the stink eye or terrorize you. If I tell Peanuts I'm busy, she'd stare at me forever until I give out a sigh. It seems that she's also capable of judging what reaction is good news for her and what's bad.

 

So far it only happened once, usually he just sits in front of me and tries to hypnotize me. I can't focus on anything when he is staring at me like this, so I know how you feel. Dogs can be really stubborn sometimes But it's cute in some ways, isn't it?

 

Really not sure why. I guess its better than thinking my wife's a hat.


In case you haven't heard of this book and an opera. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Mistook_His_Wife_for_a_Hat

It may be the use of the word Where's. Often we will ask Mishka where's her toy or Frisbee and sometimes I will say mum.

 

Oh that's devious. Frisbee and mum, eh? It's a heartwarming thought to imagine one's husband ask the dog to go to mum, but to say Where's Your Frisbee? and have the dog go to mum is another story.

 

My wife's off rowing and sailing for a couple of days with a bunch of women who built a skiff. So poor old Mishka has had a long face wondering where she is.
I took Mishka down to a neighbours house yesterday where she will spend a night with another border collie and she perked right up. When it was time to go home she refused to get into the car. She is unsure where mum is now and will soon wonder where I am. Well just maybe.
I'll be catching up with my wife to spend some time kayaking in a National Park.