Can dogs perform deduction? Evidently so...
The provocative new experiment indicated that dogs can do something that previously only humans, including infants, have been shown capable of doing: decide how to imitate a behavior based on the specific circumstances in which the action takes place.
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Interesting. They didn't show what happens if the "trainer" dog uses his mouth to open the cage, but has something attached to the foot, or if the foot is raised. Would the learner be more likely to use the foot? I'll be the mouth is more convenient, (and more strongly associated with food) and will still be preferred in that case. I also wonder if the learning dog would prefer to have the ball in his mouth, and if he tried to get it after the trainer dropped it to eat the snack.
But most of all, I really want to see if it has to be a dog training them to do this. I want the researcher on all fours with a ball in his mouth, reaching up and pulling on the bar, and then doing other trials with just using his teeth. If the dog has the same result then, I'd be very impressed.