If you’re smiling or frowning, your dog loves you anyway

(Image credit: Getty)

Most dog owners would assume their pets are extra happy to see their faces, but it turns out they’re just as excited by the back of our heads as the front!

Despite giving us the puppy dog eyes that tug on our heartstrings, a new study has discovered that, unlike us, dogs’ brains are not hardwired to respond to human faces.

However, they have learnt to use sound and scent to recognize their owners.

While humans use faces as a visual communication, dogs do not, according to the new study by Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary.

Using an MRI scanner, the team monitored brain activity in both people and dogs as they watched two-second videos showing human faces and backs of heads. 

The results from the animals revealed that their doggy brains responded the same when they saw the back or front of a head, but in humans the visual cortex lit up when it saw a face.

“It’s amazing dogs do so well when it comes to reading emotions and identify from faces, despite the fact that they seem not to have a brain designed for having a focus on (them),” said Dr Attila Andics, co-author of the study.

Latest in Dogs
Megan's nonna's cat lying down next to the Neakasa P2 Pro Grooming Kit
I test pet products for a living, and this discount on the Neakasa P2 Pro Grooming Kit is not to be missed
Jan, a dog behaviorist, playing with her dog Cassie
I’m a dog behaviorist and these are my top tips for ‘bulletproof’ reliable recall
Dog looking over the back seat of a car
‘Some dogs are very clear when they’re unhappy in the car – but others are more passive’: Behaviorist warns that signs of distress are easily missed
Bull Terrier laying on grass with tongue out
Bull Terriers have a unique ‘Marmite’ look but they can be energetic, playful pets
Cute Labrador puppy on sofa
A pet’s ‘cuteness’ can influence intentions to book Airbnbs and rental stays, suggests new study
King Charles in front of a union jack flag
King Charles brings home his first puppy in over three decades – here’s what we know so far
Latest in News
Megan's nonna's cat lying down next to the Neakasa P2 Pro Grooming Kit
I test pet products for a living, and this discount on the Neakasa P2 Pro Grooming Kit is not to be missed
Yaheetech Large Cat Tower with PetsRadar deals graphic
Hurry! Our top-rated cat tower is 40% off right now in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
Shark Air Purifier in a room with a man, dog, a child playing, with a petsradar deals overlay to the right hand side
Not a drill! Shark’s Air Purifier is $130 off in the Amazon Big Spring Sale – and it’s going straight in my basket
Megan's PetPivot Autoscooper 11 with a Petsradar deals overlay to the right hand side
This automatic cat litter box changed my life! And it’s now under $200 (not a typo!) in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
Cat looking at vacuum cleaner with suspicion
How to spring clean without causing your cat anxiety, according to an expert
Dog looking over the back seat of a car
‘Some dogs are very clear when they’re unhappy in the car – but others are more passive’: Behaviorist warns that signs of distress are easily missed