The Intelligence Test That Dogs Do Not Pass

There are many scientists who carry out intelligence tests on animals. There are various types and they are essential for carrying out certain researches. Of course, there are tests in which certain species are more successful than others. As in the case of a particular experiment that dogs cannot pass, unlike what was shown by wolves and parrots. Here are these intelligence tests

What do animal intelligence tests measure?

Although called “intelligence tests”, these experiments actually examine many other elements that may not be related to intelligence as we humans understand it. Of course, they are not experiments in mathematics or logic: they are aimed at verifying certain abilities and behaviors of animals, such as cooperation, altruism, a sense of justice.

One of the most famous experiments of recent years has measured this last variable. Two monkeys had to complete the same exercise in exchange for a prize. Time after time, one of the monkeys was given a much higher reward than the other and what happened was truly amazing.

After only a couple of repetitions, the monkey who had received the least valuable prize began to get angry, to the point of completely refusing the prize. However, the researchers observed that their anger was directed at the person handing out the prizes, not the other monkey. In some cases, the latter even tried to share the prize with the disadvantaged monkey.

The test dogs fail

The experiment on animal intelligence, not surpassed by dogs, was carried out with the aim of discovering how far cooperation between two animals of the same species can go, and has been carried out for some time on very different animals.

In the experiment a wheeled platform was used , on which many very interesting prizes were placed, but placed behind a fence. In order to qualify for the prizes, the animals had to pull two ropes together at the same time.

In the course of various experiments, it was found that elephants are able to solve the problem almost immediately. Even parrots and crows can easily collaborate to get the prize.

The surprise came with the wolves – they were able to solve the problem very quickly. They showed great coordination skills : the wolf who reached his rope first, waited for his partner to start pulling and solving the test.

On the contrary, it was the dogs who failed in the experiment.  It took them too long to understand that the ropes needed to be pulled and they couldn’t coordinate to do the exercise together. Each time, therefore, they were literally left dry-mouthed.

In some later experiments, however, it was found that trained dogs were able to solve the quiz after a few attempts . Let’s talk about rescue dogs, rescue dogs and police dogs. Being only highly trained animals, it is fair to say that “normal” dogs do not know how to cooperate.

Possible explanations

After each intelligence test on animals, of course the results are analyzed and explained. In this case, however, the scientists  had to come up with a theory on purpose, since no one expected this blatant failure on the part of the dogs.

On the one hand, it is normal for animals such as parrots or crows to be able to solve the test with a certain ease : in nature they are forced to collaborate with other similar ones. Additionally, ravens are known to communicate with each other and know how to ask for help when needed.

The same goes for elephants: they lead a nomadic life moving with the herd, and together they face and overcome even very complex tests. Recently, a viral video appeared on the Internet in which several elephants collaborated to rescue a cub from a pond.

Conversely, dogs evolved by getting used to being dependent on humans. Dogs began to differentiate themselves from wolves when they chose to approach the first human settlements, feeding on their waste. They stopped cooperating in order to hunt and defend themselves.

Therefore, dogs are more dependent on humans than other animals.  For many generations now, they have stopped counting on the help of other dogs to survive, forgetting what it means to be able to collaborate. This does not mean that they cannot live with others like them, but that they are used to solving problems individually.

The intelligence tests on animals are very varied and, although they do not measure their real IQ in the strict sense, they allow us to discover surprising aspects of the psychology of these living beings.