How Dogs Love Us
6 Jun 2014 by Evoluted New Media
Ever wondered if that look on your dog’s face is really love, or if they’re just waiting for their next walk or bowl of chow? Neuroscientist Gregory Berns actually wanted to find out. So he enticed his dog Callie, a little black terrier mix, into an MRI scanner (with the aid of hotdogs) to find out. Berns faced many bureaucratic hurdles before being allowed to proceed with his ‘Dog Project’, as well as several obstacles during the research, such as how to stop the animals moving in the scanner. But it was well worth the bother: his account of his lab’s project provides a real insight into the brain of his furry friend, and demonstrates why canine companions should be treated with love, respect and appreciation for their social and emotional intelligence. The outcome of the project? He unlocked the science of the human-canine bond: to show that a dog truly is man’s best friend. How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and his Dog Decode the Canine Brain by Gregory Burns, Scribe Publications, £12.99, January 2014. To be in with a chance of winning How Dogs love Us, just send your name, address and organisation/institution to phil.prime@laboratorynews.co.uk by 27th June 2014.
