Dogs do have a sense of fairness, but their ability to be sensitive to inequality is being eroded by HUMANS

  • Previous studies have shown that primates like humans are sensitive to inequity 
  • Researchers wanted to test whether dogs picked up this ability from people
  • They found that both wild wolves and domesticated dogs could spot a raw deal
  • Their findings suggest that this ability was inherited from a shared ancestor  

By TIM COLLINS FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

Recognising when you've got the raw end of the deal is an important social skill in humans. 

And new research suggests it's a trait also shared by dogs and wolves. 

But this ability has not been learned from humans. In fact, the research suggest the opposite may be true.

According to the study, dogs have had their ability to be sensitive to inequality eroded by humans. 

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Researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna investigated the behaviour of dogs and wolves by training them to press a buzzer to receive a treat (pictured). They found that both canine species could spot when they were getting an unfair deal

Researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna investigated the behaviour of dogs and wolves by training them to press a buzzer to receive a treat (pictured). They found that both canine species could spot when they were getting an unfair deal

UNFAIR TREATMENT

Comparative psychologists from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna investigated the behaviour of dogs and wolves by training them to press a buzzer to receive a treat.

Both canine species were tested in a no-reward test and a quality test, in which two animals were placed in enclosures next to each other.

In the no-reward test only the partner got a treat in every trial, the test animal got nothing. 

In the quality test both animals got a reward, but the preferred and thus higher quality treat was again given to the partner. 

The ability to realise this inequity became evident when they refused to continue the experiment.

But interestingly, the animals continued when there was no partner even if they didn't receive a reward immediately. 

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Researchers from the Messerli Research Institute of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna trained dogs and wolves to press a buzzer to receive a treat.

The psychologists found that when the animals received nothing or a lower quality reward compared to other participants, they refused to continue any further.

The behaviour was found equally in dogs and wolves, suggesting that they inherited the skill from a common ancestor. 

Jennifer Essler, Friederike Range and Sarah Marshall-Pescini investigated the behaviour of both canine species in a no-reward test and a quality test in which two animals were placed in enclosures next to each other.

In the no-reward test only the partner got a treat in every trial, the test animal got nothing. 

In the quality test both animals got a reward, but the preferred and thus higher quality treat was again given to the partner. 

The ability to realise this inequity became evident when they refused to continue the experiment.

But interestingly, the animals continued when there was no partner even if they didn't receive a reward immediately. 

'This showed that the fact that they themselves had not received a reward was not the only reason why they stopped to cooperate with the trainer,' said Dr Range.

Two animals were placed in enclosures next to each other (pictured). In the no-reward test only the partner got a treat in every trial. In the quality test both animals got a reward, but a higher quality treat was given to the partner

Two animals were placed in enclosures next to each other (pictured). In the no-reward test only the partner got a treat in every trial. In the quality test both animals got a reward, but a higher quality treat was given to the partner

'They refuse to cooperate because the other one got something, but they themselves did not.' 

The researchers also found that wolves were considerably more sensitive to unfair treatment than dogs, requiring more commands from the trainer to continue working. 

'In fact, the results here and in previous studies on pet dogs suggest that rather than increasing dogs' response to unequal treatment, their relationship to humans may result in a higher tolerance for unequal treatment, at least from humans,' they researchers wrote.

'Life-long positive interactions and training with their human caregivers might prevent dogs from refusing to continue to participate in the experiment due to their willingness to please the human experimenter.'

The dogs' and wolves' rank within the pack was an additional factor for the point where the animals stopped to cooperate.

The ability to realise this inequity became evident when they refused to continue the experiment. And wolves (pictured) were found to be considerably more sensitive to unfair treatment than dogs

The ability to realise this inequity became evident when they refused to continue the experiment. And wolves (pictured) were found to be considerably more sensitive to unfair treatment than dogs

'High-ranking animals become frustrated more quickly by inequity because they are not used to this situation, not receiving something at all or only of lower quality,' Dr Range added. 

'Thus, the hierarchy in their pack is directly linked to their reaction to inequity.' 

After the experiments, the researchers also evaluated if the animals interacted with their test partners or the experimenter in a neutral enclosure.

Wolves that had experienced inequity kept aloof from humans, while dogs did not.  

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME ALONE? 

Few dog owners enjoy leaving their pet alone while they head off to work.

But most dog lovers have no idea how their animals cope once they have been left alone.

Now scientists have revealed how dogs spend up to half an hour howling, barking and whining after their owner leaves them alone.

And for some pets, the torment lasts for hours.

Two leading canine behaviour experts revealed to MailOnline back in April how dogs react to being left alone.

The first few minutes of isolation are the most stressful for a dog, according to the researchers. Dogs will howl, bark and whine constantly.

Anxious dogs will continue pining after their owner for up to half an hour.

Extremely anxious dogs will urinate, defecate or vomit, and can even try to hurt themselves. 

The next few hours of being left alone depend on the personality of your pup.

Dogs that are predisposed to being anxious can spend hours pacing up and down waiting for their owners to come back.

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