Abstract
Recent researches have shown that dogs (Canis familiaris) possess a number of social cognitive abilities and communicate with humans in unique ways. Several researches suggest that dogs do not only use the overt features of humans (e.g., pointing, gaze) to find a hidden food in an object choice task, but also recognize the covert aspects of humans (e.g., knowledge) to predict the actions of them. This paper reviews evidence showing such excellent social cognition in dogs. Several comparisons between wolves and dogs suggest that human-like social skills by dogs have evolved as a by-product of domestication. Besides, some researchers argue the possibility of acquisition of similar social skills between dogs and humans through convergent cognitive evolution, which enabled them to communicate. The study of social cognitive skills in dogs will broaden our understanding of comparative social cognition.
