| Title |
Do domestic dogs show any evidence of being able to count?
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Animal Cognition, January 2014
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10071-002-0140-0 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Rebecca E. West, Robert J. Young |
| Abstract |
Numerical competence has been demonstrated in a wide range of animal species. The level of numerical abilities shown ranges from simple relative numerousness judgements to true counting. In this study we used the preferential looking technique to test whether 11 pet dogs could count. The dogs were presented with three simple calculations: "1+1=2"; "1+1=1"; and "1+1=3". These calculations were performed by presenting the dogs with treats that were placed behind a screen that allowed manipulation of the outcome of the calculation. When the dogs expected the outcome they spent the same amount of time looking at the result of the calculation as they did on the initial presentation. However, when the result was unexpected dogs spent significantly longer looking at the outcome of the calculation. The results suggest that the dogs were anticipating the outcome of the calculations they observed, thus suggesting that dogs may have a rudimentary ability to count. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 12 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 2 | 17% |
| United States | 2 | 17% |
| Unknown | 8 | 67% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 10 | 83% |
| Scientists | 2 | 17% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 145 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 2% |
| Germany | 2 | 1% |
| Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
| Austria | 1 | <1% |
| Hungary | 1 | <1% |
| Brazil | 1 | <1% |
| Australia | 1 | <1% |
| Czechia | 1 | <1% |
| Poland | 1 | <1% |
| Other | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown | 133 | 92% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 35 | 24% |
| Researcher | 34 | 23% |
| Student > Master | 18 | 12% |
| Student > Bachelor | 17 | 12% |
| Other | 10 | 7% |
| Other | 18 | 12% |
| Unknown | 13 | 9% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 57 | 39% |
| Psychology | 39 | 27% |
| Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine | 12 | 8% |
| Neuroscience | 4 | 3% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 3 | 2% |
| Other | 11 | 8% |
| Unknown | 19 | 13% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 176. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 04 February 2024.
All research outputs
#229,363
of 25,373,627 outputs
Outputs from Animal Cognition
#69
of 1,552 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#2,081
of 320,688 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Animal Cognition
#1
of 23 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,373,627 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,552 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 36.3. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 95% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 23 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 95% of its contemporaries.