Dogs Decoded

This PBS-aired NOVA entry explores the intriguing relationship between humans and their four-legged best friends. Noting that dog research is a relatively new scientific area, Dogs Decoded looks at various facets of canine-to-human communication. One segment spotlights England's University of Lincoln's study examining how eye-tracking technology is used to chart whether dogs use the same left-gaze bias that humans do when reading faces. Dr. Ádám Miklósi of the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest conducts field work with barking dogs, noting that canines can discriminate between at least six different barks, which he analyzes through frequency, tonality, and interval to determine emotional content. Also exploring the spike in levels of oxytocin hormone released by a pet owner (similar to that of a mother when she breastfeeds) that suggests a deep bond between people and dogs, comparing the intelligence of dogs to other members of the animal kingdom (spotlighting an amazing Austrian border collie who can distinguish 340 words by picking corresponding toys), and taking a look at evolutionary canine origins, Dogs Decoded also features standout segments on two other fascinating studies: one finds researchers testing the nature vs. nurture conundrum by raising five-day old wolf cubs (who lose interest in their “parents” around the eight-week mark), while the other focuses on ongoing studies through 50 generations of tame and aggressive silver foxes. The scientific findings here are combined with loving comments from dog owners, such as “She's part of the family…she is the family.” Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)