Do dogs actually judge people? It's not as simple as we thought

Many people trust dogs’ instincts when it comes to another person’s character. When a dog greets someone warmly, it’s seen as a good sign – but when a dog keeps its distance, this can cause suspicion. Still, the question remains: do dogs actually evaluate humans?

Scientists have long explored whether animals, especially dogs, can socially judge humans. Previous studies showed mixed results, and the newest research deepens the mystery.

Why dogs might judge people

Reputation in animals means recognizing others based on past behavior. Some animals learn through direct experience. Others can eavesdrop and learn by watching others. This ability, called third-party evaluation, can help animals choose helpful social partners.

Dogs, as domesticated companions, seemed like strong candidates for such skills. They were bred to work with humans. So, researchers expected them to notice human behavior differences – but the data doesn’t always agree.

How the study was designed

Researchers tested 40 pet dogs of various ages. Dogs either watched two humans interact with another dog, or interacted directly with the humans themselves. One person was generous, offering food, while the other withheld it.

Dogs were split into age groups – young, adult, and senior. Each dog was exposed to both the generous and selfish person multiple times.

The researchers carefully controlled the setup, ensuring consistency across trials. They also ran control sessions to rule out effects like clothing color or position preference.

Dogs don’t seem to judge people

In both the observation (eavesdropping) and direct interaction tests, dogs showed no consistent preference. They did not favor the generous partner more than the selfish one. This pattern held across all age groups and both experimental conditions.

“It’s clear that reputation formation may be more complex than previously thought, even for animals like dogs that closely cooperate with humans,” said corresponding researcher Hoi-Lam Jim, who recently joined the faculty at Kyoto University.

Even dogs with more life experience didn’t do better. Older dogs didn’t show stronger preferences. The generous partner’s kind actions didn’t lead to more trust or affection, even after repeated encounters.

Complexity in social evaluation

While earlier studies claimed dogs could form reputations, this study addressed key flaws in those designs. Many past results may have stemmed from bias, such as dogs simply responding to visible cues or choosing based on location.

This new research controlled for those factors. The researchers accounted for side preference, controlled for experimenter visibility, and extended trial numbers to give dogs more learning opportunities.

Still, most dogs did not show learning over time. Only three dogs in the entire sample developed a clear preference – two for the generous person, and one for the selfish person.

Dogs may struggle to judge people

Several factors may explain the findings. Pet dogs often encounter friendly strangers, which might reduce their need to quickly assess people’s behavior.

Since the dogs were not hungry during the study, their motivation to respond to food-based generosity may have been low.

The outdoor setting introduced natural distractions such as sun and shade, and over a third of the dogs displayed side biases that could have influenced their choices.

The visible presence of food may also have shifted their attention away from evaluating human behavior.

Even chimpanzees, despite their high intelligence, have struggled in similar tests, often requiring dozens of repetitions before showing a consistent preference.

Future research directions

The study suggests that forming reputations may require more nuanced setups. The calm and trusting lives of pet dogs may reduce their need to judge unfamiliar people. Free-ranging dogs or working dogs might respond differently.

“It is possible that methodological challenges in the experimental design, particularly the use of a two-choice test, may explain our negative findings, rather than an absence of capacity,” said Jim.

Future studies might vary social cues, increase emotional contrast, or test dogs in environments where outcomes matter more – like food security or social belonging.

Dogs may not judge people as we expect

Dogs may not judge us in the way we assume. While they thrive on routine, affection, and social bonds, they might not socially evaluate strangers after just a few interactions.

This doesn’t mean dogs lack intelligence or emotional insight. But reputation-building, it seems, is a more complex process than we once believed.

For now, we may need to rethink the idea that “dogs always know who to trust.”

The study is published in the journal Animal Cognition.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–