Do you think your dog judges you? This study reveals that female dogs judge their owners more than males

Do you sometimes feel as if your dog is judging you? If so, then there’s a good chance it’s because she’s female.

As highlighted by vet Alex Crow on TikTok, a study conducted in 2022 on how dogs view human behaviors and their ability to recognize competence revealed that female dogs are much more likely to notice if their owners do indeed know what they’re doing - or not - than their male counterparts.

The study that shows female dogs' competence

In the study, dogs were made to watch two people attempt to open jars with treats inside them. One person was asked to do so as they normally would (i.e. competently), and the other to deliberately make hard work of it (i.e. incompetently).

The dogs were then encouraged to approach the two people for a treat, which is where the difference in reactions between sexes was noted.

While male dogs were generally indifferent, going up to either of the two indiscriminately, 83% of females approached the person who had opened the jar without any difficulty.

In addition, the study found the female dogs watched the person opening the jar for longer, suggesting they are both more perceptive and attentive than males.

Be warned: your dog could be judging you

So if you do have a female dog, be warned: they are watching your every move and are well aware of how competent, or incompetent, you are.

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