Dogs, often called “man’s best friend,” have stood by our side for millennia. Owing some of their charms to their cuddly, approachable, and easily lovable nature, many can agree that these furry companions are a blessing. But did you know that dogs might be sacrificing their brainpower to stay with you? Well, a group of scientists from Hungary found that domestic dogs have smaller brains than grey wolves, from whom they are descended.
Why the Shrink?
Having spent more than 15,000 years as a man’s companion, the reduction in brain size shouldn’t be considered random. This is because crowning those fifteen-plus millennia is a cozy, human-controlled environment that demands less cognitive effort than surviving in the wild. In their wild wolf days, dogs had to forage for food, evade or engage predators, and find mates. All these tasks required a hefty amount of brainpower, which is no longer the case. Our pampered besties have shelters, ready meals, and regular visits to the vet. As such, their cognitive lives are relatively easy.
The Price of a Cozy Life
But everything has a price, and this relaxing life comes with a seemingly hefty one. According to Hungary’s Institute of Ecology and Botany’s László Zsolt Garamszegi, the domesticated dog’s brain size has shrunk due to a lesser need for metabolically costly brain tissue. To put it simply, why waste energy on a big brain when you don’t need it? The study’s results suggest that dogs’ brains gradually shrank in size because they didn’t need to work as hard as they used to in order to survive.
It Goes Beyond Dogs
The researchers discovered that the dog isn’t the only canid species to have taken a hit when it comes to its brain size reduction. The study covered 25 species, ranging from the grey wolf and domestic dog to the common raccoon dog. The latter stood out as a more extreme case regarding brain size reduction. Unlike its fellow canids, raccoon dogs hibernate, which the study holds as a possible explanation for their unusually small brains.
The Bigger Picture
While the fact that domestic dogs have had their brains shrink in the last few millennia is fascinating, it is essential to note that they have relatively larger brains than several other species. This suggests that even though domestication might have had a hand in the brain size reduction, it doesn’t necessarily mean that our lovely companions have lost their smarts entirely. Dogs have shown the capability of outperforming some wild animals repeatedly, which might explain why they can quickly learn tricks and understand commands.
Resources:
Humane Society Legislative Fund
References:
Dogs’ brains are SHRINKING – and humans may be partly to blame, study warns
