"They may not be Einsteins, but are sure closer to humans than we thought," said Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and a leading researcher on dog behavior.⁠ ⁠ Included in the number of "words" dogs are believed to know are hand gestures, like pointing, and nonverbal sounds, like whistles, used to direct sheepdogs and retrievers.⁠ ⁠ Counting ability is tested in drills such as one in which treats are dropped, one at a time, behind a screen. When the researcher either sneaks away one of the treats or stealthily adds an extra before raising the screen, the dog will wait longer, appearing to puzzle over the bad math, before eating the treats.⁠ That's the same way toddlers respond when faced with a similar switch, said Coren.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #dog #averagedog #intelligent #intelligence #iq #smartdog #smart #dogbehavior #science #biology