Expand the Borders of Science!
Is anyone interested in performing an experiment in animal psychology? My daughter's science fair project is on how dogs find their way home. Her research has found that some scientists believe that dogs can find their homes from anywhere within about two miles of their home by orienting themselves using nearby strong environmental scents. So she is testing dogs (five so far) by driving them to places they've never been before about a mile and a half from their homes and letting them go whereever they want, only using their leashes to keep them out of traffic, people's yards, etc. and seeing if they find their way home.
Anyone want to provide additional data points?
Here is her experiment sheet:
Dog's Name:
Breed:
Age:
Sex:
Weight:
Location:
Frequently walked? How often or far?
Instructions: Choose a starting point that is about 1½ miles away from the dog’s home where the dog has never been. Try to make it at a place that is fair, so if the dog figures out the right direction it can go home without getting lost in confusing cul-de-sacs or dead ends. Don't drive straight to the place - drive in a circle to confuse the dog about where it is and then let it out at your starting point. Keep it on the leash, but let it go wherever it wants (but keep it out of danger). Don't give it any clues with your voice or body about which route to take. Make a record of where it goes; marking it on a map (optional), what time it starts, and what time it gets home (or what time you stop trying, if the dog doesn’t seem to be going home).
Approximate Distance from Home (Driving/Walking Distance):
Time When Dog Started Walking:
Time When Dog Reached Home (if successful):
Time You Stopped Trying (if unsuccessful):
Comment about the dog’s behavior - what factors (if any) seemed to lead the dog in the right direction? Do you think it knew the way home?
Picture of dog (optional):
Map of the route you took (optional):
If anyone is thinking about trying this, it should take about an hour to an hour and a half for the dog to either get home or for you to decide it's hopeless. Either someone can drop you off, or you can walk back and get your car later. Or you can do what my daughter does and have your mother someone follow you in a car protecting you from mad rapists and muggers, charting the route, and driving you and the dog home if you give up in despair.
I should warn you that this experiment can have a bad effect on the dog's discipline! Our dog LOVED being in charge of the route-planning and wanted to keep doing it after the experiment was over. We had to retrain her a bit. It can also be frustrating and takes a lot of patience if the dog dawdles and insists on going the wrong way when you're cold, tired, and ready to get home. But it's also really fun watching the canine mind at work.
I was skeptical at first over whether it was possible to do this without subconsciously guiding the dog, but after watching my daughter do this many times, I'm convinced that it is. The dogs frequently go just the opposite of where she wants them to. :p Some dogs are confused at first and try to get her to tell them which way to go, but so far they've all chosen their own paths after she refused to give them any cues.
And if you do decide to do this, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Her project is due Jan. 8, so she'll need the results by Jan. 5 at the latest.
Anyone want to provide additional data points?
Here is her experiment sheet:
Dog's Name:
Breed:
Age:
Sex:
Weight:
Location:
Frequently walked? How often or far?
Instructions: Choose a starting point that is about 1½ miles away from the dog’s home where the dog has never been. Try to make it at a place that is fair, so if the dog figures out the right direction it can go home without getting lost in confusing cul-de-sacs or dead ends. Don't drive straight to the place - drive in a circle to confuse the dog about where it is and then let it out at your starting point. Keep it on the leash, but let it go wherever it wants (but keep it out of danger). Don't give it any clues with your voice or body about which route to take. Make a record of where it goes; marking it on a map (optional), what time it starts, and what time it gets home (or what time you stop trying, if the dog doesn’t seem to be going home).
Approximate Distance from Home (Driving/Walking Distance):
Time When Dog Started Walking:
Time When Dog Reached Home (if successful):
Time You Stopped Trying (if unsuccessful):
Comment about the dog’s behavior - what factors (if any) seemed to lead the dog in the right direction? Do you think it knew the way home?
Picture of dog (optional):
Map of the route you took (optional):
If anyone is thinking about trying this, it should take about an hour to an hour and a half for the dog to either get home or for you to decide it's hopeless. Either someone can drop you off, or you can walk back and get your car later. Or you can do what my daughter does and have your mother someone follow you in a car protecting you from mad rapists and muggers, charting the route, and driving you and the dog home if you give up in despair.
I should warn you that this experiment can have a bad effect on the dog's discipline! Our dog LOVED being in charge of the route-planning and wanted to keep doing it after the experiment was over. We had to retrain her a bit. It can also be frustrating and takes a lot of patience if the dog dawdles and insists on going the wrong way when you're cold, tired, and ready to get home. But it's also really fun watching the canine mind at work.
I was skeptical at first over whether it was possible to do this without subconsciously guiding the dog, but after watching my daughter do this many times, I'm convinced that it is. The dogs frequently go just the opposite of where she wants them to. :p Some dogs are confused at first and try to get her to tell them which way to go, but so far they've all chosen their own paths after she refused to give them any cues.
And if you do decide to do this, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Her project is due Jan. 8, so she'll need the results by Jan. 5 at the latest.