Dog Psychology: In the Mind of Mutts [Infographic]

We love dogs. Dogs love us. But how much do human beings truly understand about the motivations behind their best friends' behaviors? This infographic from King University Online showcases surprising facts about the canine brain. Dog psychology is every bit as intricate as their human counterparts’. Not only are dogs smarter than we think, but they actually share a lot of psychological traits with humans.

Dogs do dream.

It’s probably pretty obvious by the way dogs “sleep run” on their sides, or the way their eyes twitch. For an average-sized dog, dreaming begins after 20 minutes of sleep. This is during their REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, sleep phase.

They leverage the power of the bark.

Dogs are smart enough to know that barking attracts attention. It 

isn’t always for the same reason, but barking is a self-rewarding 

activity that usually results in them getting what they want.

They’re about as smart as a toddler.

Most dogs are around as intelligent and intuitive as a two-year-old human.

No, they don’t feel guilt.

That torn up newspaper or de-stuffed pillow you found in the living 

room? They’re not sorry they did it, just sorry they got caught.

They pick up and even act on our emotions.

Emotions are contagious, and dogs can sense and mirror their owner’s 

feelings. If you don’t like someone, chances are your dog doesn’t like 

them either.

They recognize many words and gestures.

Dogs recognize about 150 words, though some dogs know even more.

They have an innate understanding of fairness.

Unlike some humans, dogs recognize that behaving fairly helps 

everyone have fun. Even bigger, dominant dogs take part in submissive 

behavior during play to level the playing field.

Infographic by: online.king.edu