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Dogs On Task Can Use A Little Help From Friends

JenRegnier/Pixabay
How far would your do go to complete a mission?

How would your dog do on the SATs?  The question is a joke, but not the concept of testing dogs for problem-solving abilities. 

Oregon State University's Human-Animal Interaction Lab put both pet dogs and trained search & rescue dogs to work solving puzzles (yes, they involve treats). 

And the dogs displayed some differences in behavior based on whether humans were encouraging them, or not. 

Lauren Brubaker, a doctoral student at the lab, led the research.  She is our guest.    

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.