Animal Behavior

brown English Cocker Spaniel with its head cocked upward and its tongue sticking out
How Dogs Learn: typography in an outline of a cloud
The Similarities and Differences in Humans vs. Dogs typography

By Chrissy Capacchione

brown English Cocker Spaniel with its head cocked upward and its tongue sticking out beside typography that reads: “How Dogs Learn: The Similarities and Differences in Humans vs. Dogs”

By Chrissy Capacchione

It’s easy to assume that dogs learn and process information the same way as we humans do. And there certainly are some similarities; however, there are also several differences that should not be overlooked. Being able to recognize how and why a dog may interpret the same information differently from that of a person creates an opportunity for an open line of effective communication between canine and handler.

Similarities
Both species each have the ability to learn through operant conditioning. This is when a certain behavior is learned by experiencing a positive or negative reward as a result of an action or response to something. Both can also learn through the use of observational learning. This may be by watching someone touch a hot surface and jumping back as a result of being burnt, or perhaps a dog observes another put its nose in a pricker bush and recoil from the unpleasant sensation of being poked.

Dogs and humans are each influenced by the things which are important to them. These values can include things such as nutrients, safety and survival. However, these things often have different meanings to each species. Thus, the ways they go about satisfying those needs are usually unique to each species. Just as we make associations as to what is neutral, dangerous or safe, then base decisions and actions on those associations, dogs can do the same.

Differences
Despite the many similarities in how humans and dogs learn, there are also several significant differences to take note of. The brains of both species do not process information in the same ways. This is due to differences in brain development, primarily in the neocortex, between dogs and humans.

A key difference in how humans and dogs process new information and learn is that the human is a master of generalization, while the dog is a stickler for details. Each species will focus on different types of information when taking it in or committing it to memory.

The human will likely focus their attention on how a dog behaves or reacts when they are given a cue or signal. These behaviors or reactions may include whether or not the dog offers the response that was expected, or a different response.

The dog, however, is much more observant. They are more likley to hone their focus in on everything happening, such as the person’s tone of voice, body language, or the smells and sounds instead of on a single aspect such as a response or behavior.

Did You Know? typography in a cloud outline
  • Dogs can differentiate between an impressive number of words. However, if exposed to similar-sounding words, they are not always able to tell the difference between them.
  • Dogs do have memory but they typically focus on the present moment as they live it in real time. Unfortunately, humans often fall victim to remembering past events or anticipating how the future may unfold and often do not notice what is happening in the present to the extent of dogs.
  • Humans have a large visual cortex, meaning they typically rely on sight as their primary sense, followed by vocalization. The dog, on the other hand, has a large olfactory cortex, and therefore smell is their primary sense and vocalization is normally used last.
girl holding a dog
Did You Know? typography in a cloud outline
  • Dogs can differentiate between an impressive number of words. However, if exposed to similar-sounding words, they are not always able to tell the difference between them.
  • Dogs do have memory but they typically focus on the present moment as they live it in real time. Unfortunately, humans often fall victim to remembering past events or anticipating how the future may unfold and often do not notice what is happening in the present to the extent of dogs.
  • Humans have a large visual cortex, meaning they typically rely on sight as their primary sense, followed by vocalization. The dog, on the other hand, has a large olfactory cortex, and therefore smell is their primary sense and vocalization is normally used last.
girl holding a dog
Separated Vs Contiguous Learning
We humans are the only species proven capable of what is called “separated” or, sometimes, “scientific” learning. Separated learning means we have the ability to make connections between multiple events that take place 60 seconds or more apart. This is thanks to an area in our brain called the neocortex.

The neocortex is the part of our brain which allows us to learn patterns in our environment, and then use that knowledge to adapt to new situations similarly. Think of learning to cook a meal in your kitchen, then cooking the same meal at your grandmother’s house, or standing on one leg, or at a different time of day. Regardless of the location, number of legs we are standing on, or where the sun or moon is in the sky, the constant remains that we are still cooking the same meal.

While dogs also possess a neocortex in their brains, it is far less developed; therefore, they are not able to generalize nearly as well as humans and are what are called “contiguous” learners. Contiguous learning involves making connections between events that do not happen longer than 60 seconds apart from one another. Due to their inability to generalize as well as humans, the devil is in the details to our canine companions.

Let’s take a look at our cooking example from the lens of a dog. While we are easily able to understand cooking is cooking regardless of environmental factors, it will take a dog longer to understand that varying circumstances will not change the fact that we are still cooking. Since details hold more significance to how a dog processes information, what they learn in one place may not translate the same message when the conditions of a situation change.

In order to help dogs learn a command or behavior, training needs to be repeated in as many different areas as possible. As the environment and stimuli change, the cue signaling the response we want from the dog becomes the only constant factor in the environment. The dog then begins to understand and associate that, while the environment around them may change, anything other than the cue is irrelevant to how they are expected to respond.

Understanding similarities and differences in the way a dog processes and learns new information compared to that of a human increases our ability to communicate with our canine companions. It also helps us understand why we may be experiencing difficulties pertaining to certain aspects of training and to find ways to troubleshoot issues, yielding more fruitful results. Realizing how many details a dog absorbs in new environments without possessing our ability to generalize so much of that information, we can remember to be kind and patient with them.

Resources: