Most people use only one hand for most tasks, typically their right. Approximately 90% of people are right-handed, with 10%-13% being left-handed. Men are more likely than women to be left-handed, and very few people can use both hands equally effectively. However, as odd as it may sound, our four-legged pals can be lefties or righties, and we have a reason.
#1. As It Turns Out, We Have One Additional Thing In Common With Dogs.
Source: Pixabay
Until recently, it was thought that the concept of "handedness" was unique to humans, but new animal research indicate that it may be a widespread feature among mammals. However, it is still unknown how this manifests in animals and whether it is comparable to human handedness.
#2. They Do Prefer One Paw Over The Other.
Source: Pixabay
Scientists have done a number of tests to establish whether domestic dogs, like humans, have a preferred right or left paw. These activities include balancing a toy, reaching for food, removing an object from the body, and capturing the first step taken to walk downstairs or the paw given to a human on request.
The findings of research that used these tests revealed some variances. Recent research, however, indicated that dogs are more likely to prefer using one paw over the other (paw preference) than to be ambidextrous (able to use both paws equally well) or to show no preference.
Read more: Celebrities With Their Pets Make Your Heart Melt
#3. Unlike Humans, Paw Preference Appears To Be Roughly Evenly Split.
Source: Pixabay
It's worth noting that research have revealed that paw preference varies according on the task. The "Kong ball" test, in which the animal must stabilize a cone-shaped ball, produces nearly equal numbers of left-pawed, right-pawed, and ambidextrous replies.
The "giving a paw" task, which requires training and practice, produces more paw-preferred replies than ambidextrous ones. This shows that task difficulty and training conditions may influence paw preference.
#4. Males And Females Have Different Paw Preferences.
Source: Pixabay
Several studies have discovered significant differences in paw preference between male and female dogs. Female dogs are more prone to utilize their right paw, whilst males use their left paw. Other non-human species, such as domestic cats, have shown a variation in paw preference between male and female dogs.
#5. Paw Choice May Also Be Related To The Emotional State Of The Animal.
Source: Pixabay
Recent research has found a link between paw preference and emotional reactivity in dogs. During a cognitive bias test, left-pawed dogs are more "pessimistic" and take longer to approach an empty food dish put in an unclear location than right-pawed or ambilateral dogs. Furthermore, dogs with lesser paw preferences have been shown to react more intensely to thunderstorms and fireworks sound than dogs with stronger paw preferences.
Do you have a dog? Have you ever tried to figure out if your dog is a lefty or a righty? We hope this information has helped you figure it out. Remember to tell us about your dog in the comments! If you found this post helpful, don't forget to check out our homepage at memefuny for more fun and adorable content about entertainment, humor, memes, and animals.
