Among All Other Domesticated and Wild Animals…
What makes a pet dog unique? Look how the dog is following the lady’s point with intense focus. This kind of non-verbal communication is used with “pointer” breeds even when they are used to retrieving game. There has not been another animal in domesticated history that is this aware of our verbal and non-verbal intentions.
Dogs are the only animals that have the ability to follow complex verbal commands and body language. The most unique example of dog’s capabilities are their ability to follow the human point. Most dogs when socialized repeatedly to follow a human pointing at an object, are capable of successfully following the command and “seeing” what their owner wants to share with them. These complex ability to understand our communication and emotions are what makes a pet dog unique.
The reason why this is so fantastic is because no other animal to date, can learn how to interpret the complex body language and non-verbal communication that takes place during this action. We see wonderful examples of dogs exhibiting this skill in many hunting breeds that often have to “point”, set and retrieve hunted game.
Does your dog follow your point?