Anyone who's walked a dog and seen it spring to attention when another dogs rounds a corner—even though that animal is still a full block away—may have wondered how exactly dogs recognize each other. What makes a golden retriever perk up its ears and wag its tail at an approaching greyhound but not, say, a stroller? Why does it ever occur to a dachshund to play with a pit bull in the park? Why don't average-sized dogs chase toy breeds away as if they were squirrels?
You might assume dogs, with their powerful noses, are getting an advantage from scent. Perhaps dog breeds all smell the same, despite looking wildly different. A new study, though, shows that dogs can find each other by sight alone. Dogs are able to spot another dog, no matter the breed, from among a crowd of other animals. Scientists don't know how they do it.
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