Researchers have discovered canine brains may understand human emotions more than previously thought. With awake and unrestrained dogs in an MRI scanner, researchers showed the dogs pictures of human facial expressions. Scans showed the dogs made distinctions between fear and anger, and fear and sadness. This indicates dogs can tell the difference between nuanced emotions. Researchers also reconfirmed that dogs can distinguish between joy and a blank stare, and between happy and angry faces.
The researchers were quick to point out that findings do not mean dogs experience emotion the way humans do and that more work on more breeds is needed.
Source: The Washington Post, August 11, 2026. Link. The study, which included two separate experiments, was published this month in the Cell Press journal iScience. It was started at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, then expanded to Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary.
Photo: Laura V. Cuaya
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