The idea that dogs judge character may not be as simple as we thought.

For years, dog owners have repeated the story that dogs have a sixth sense about people. If your dog growls at someone, it must mean that person is untrustworthy. But new research suggests the truth isn’t so straightforward. Dogs respond to cues, not morals, and what we think of as character judgment might actually be something else entirely.
Scientists studying canine behavior found that dogs make decisions based on body language, tone of voice, and consistency of actions. That means what looks like “knowing who’s nice” may be a reflection of subtle signals humans don’t realize they’re giving off.



