Dogs Get Jealous: Study

Japanese toymaker debuts dog translator next month

(NEWSER) - Ever wonder what your dog is thinking? The “Bowlingual Voice” from Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy claims to be able to tell you just that, the Telegraph reports. The device is made up of a microphone and transmitter on the collar that categorizes the dog’s utterances into one of six emotions—such as sadness, anger or happiness—and plays an appropriate sample of speech from a handset. More»

Dogs are ethical, full of natural goodness, scientist says

(NEWSER) - Science is finally catching up to what dog owners have known all along: Canines are ethical. After thousands of hours studying dogs—once dismissed as "furry automatons," an author said—animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff concluded that they possess the capacity for empathy and compassion, the hallmarks of morality. Humans aren’t alone “in having a nuanced moral system,” Bekoff told the Denver Post. More»

(NEWSER) - At Harvard and labs across the country, researchers are turning to dogs for clues on how their brains—and ours—work, the Boston Globe reports. “Psychologists have been ignoring animals that were sleeping quietly at their feet,” one professor said, but no longer. Dogs understand pointing better than even our closest primate relatives, and scientists wonder if their intelligence could be tied to domestication. More»

(NEWSER) - Dog owners who try to tame their pets by acting aggressive themselves will only make matters worse, LiveScience reports. A new study in Applied Animal Behavior Science presents sobering news for advocates of tough love. Those who hit, kick, growl at, or confront their dogs in similar ways are more likely to have pets that act in kind. Instead of raising their hand, owners should try offering more exercise, or maybe a treat, when training. More»

(NEWSER) - Loki, the Chihuahua who figured prominently in Mickey Rourke’s Golden Globe acceptance speech, died Monday, E! Online reports. The 18-year-old dog accompanied Rourke on the red carpet at the awards. The Oscar-nominated actor is very attached to his canine friends. “Sometimes, when a man is alone, that's all you got is your dog,” he said. “And they've meant the world to me.” More»