Dissertation project - opinions needed

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cheekymonkey24

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I am beginning the process of researching and developing a dissertation topic and would just like to do a little market research as such just to gain public opinions on my thoughts so thank you if you feel the wish to reply, I would appreciate it greatly.


The ideas that are going through my head are to do with communication between humans and dogs and whether they understand pointing as a signal if it is not a learnt behaviour previous to this study.

To begin with I was going to look at comparing rescue dogs in shelters and owned pet dogs to see if there was a major difference but this does encounter problems and many variables such as not knowing the full background of the rescue dogs.

My next thought was to compare permanently kenneled dogs (so if they do not stay in the house at night) compared to dogs that are housed indoors. This would generally lead me to choose a group of say gundogs as they are more likely to be kenneled if their working - but then have they been trained to point.

I was just wondering in the area of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex or East Yorkshire whether people would be willing for their dogs to take part in these studies???
All it would be once I have defined my methodolgy would be to point at say a cup and the dog goes to it and is rewarded if it carries out the correct process.

Sorry for the long essay but just trying to give an insight into it.

Thank you :)
 
Sorry, I am nowhere near you, but sounds like an interesting project.

I was always told not to point because the dog's attention would be focused on the finger rather than the object, but I don't know if that's correct.
 
I don't point per se, but I do give hand signals with a flat palm tured sideways and he follows them.

He also follows the 'sook' command for tracking when I point to the ground.

As BB says, my dog is very hand focused, when he is playing with a toy, I think he would rather be mouthing my hands, if I drop a toy he keeps looking at my hands.
 
Thank you for your replys.

This is the type of information I require for a wider understanding.

It may be that if the project gets a go ahead I may travel some of the country dependent on how whether or not there is dogs available to gain a wider sample size.

I am thinking that I may set it up similar to the circus trick game where a ball but in this case a food reward/toy reward would be placed underneath a cup with another cup with no ball or treat underneath (so 2 cups in a line), I or the experimenter will then point at the cup, remove the point all done with an assistant holding the dog and then releasing once the point has been removed. Obviously the method will be perfected with trials etc.
 
I thought it had already been proven that dogs understand to follow the direction given to them, only by that the owner points in a direction? Using the experiment you descirbe.

I saw something about it on TV, they did a test with dogs verses wolfves. E.g. the owner respective caretaker of the wolves went into a room, hid a reward under one of two upside down bowls, then stood behind them when someone took the dog respective wolf into the room. Then they pointed towards the right bowl and the dog/wolf was released.
The dogs always or almost always first went to the bowl that their owner had pointed towards, but the wolves just as often went for the wrong bowl first.


:confused:
 
Yeah I have realised it has been done but I am going from a different point of view instead of comparing it to wolves, I am comparing the different situations and seeing whether they have an impact on the communication, and whether its a learnt behaviour specified only to the owner or whether it is understood if a stranger carries out the test.

I appreciate it has been done similarly but just varying it slightly makes it a different subject which may show different results.

I totally understand where you are coming from as I watched that program but as this is my dissertation it will not be published as significant research it is just purely for my own benefit.

Thank you anyway
 
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