Can Dogs Reason?

Abstract

THE answer to the question, “Can an animal reason?” depends upon the sense in which the word “reason” is used. If dog-stories are to be accepted as evidence, the question must be answered in the affirmative, even though the most liberal, and human, significance be attached to the word. It is, however, of great importance that data should be obtained under conditions which can be rigidly controlled, in order that the credibility of anecdotes may be tested by the results of observations which can be easily repeated. Already excellent work has been done in this field by Lloyd Morgan, Thorndike, Small, Mills, Hob-house, and others, but the science of animal psychology is still in its infancy.