Scientists Create Easy At-Home Test for Dog Pawedness

Your dog might be a lefty, and now there's an easy way to find out.

Researchers at the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy just published a breakthrough test that lets any dog owner discover their pet's "pawedness" at home. Just like humans tend to favor one hand over the other, dogs show preferences too, and understanding this helps scientists learn how their brains process emotions and thoughts.

The test involves four simple activities you can try with treats and toys you probably already own. First, give your dog a Kong toy stuffed with treats and watch which paw they use to hold it steady. Second, place a treat under your couch or bed and see which paw they reach with.

The other two tests involve watching your dog's movements. Notice which paw they lead with when walking down stairs from a sitting position. Then observe which paw they step with first when stepping off a curb during walks.

Professor Marcello Siniscalchi, who co-authored the study published in Royal Society Open Science, says the key is letting your dog move naturally without influencing them. Try each test multiple times and keep count of which paw they use.

The scoring involves some simple math. For each test, subtract the number of left paw uses from right paw uses, then divide by the total number of tries. The resulting number tells you if your dog leans left, right, or stays neutral for that specific activity.

Dogs can score anywhere from "strong left-pawed" to "strong right-pawed," with several categories in between including "ambilateral" for those talented pups who genuinely use both equally.

Why This Inspires

This research matters beyond just satisfying curiosity about our furry friends. Understanding pawedness helps scientists study brain lateralization, the way different sides of the brain handle different jobs. In both humans and dogs, the right brain controls the left side of the body and vice versa.

Shany Dror, a researcher at Vienna's Clever Dog Lab who wasn't involved in the study, notes this tool helps scientists understand "behavior, emotions, and cognition, not only in dogs but also in other species." Every playful test at home contributes to a bigger understanding of how animal minds work.

The study found no overall trend, some dogs leaned left while others preferred right, making each discovery unique to your specific companion.

Now you have a science-backed excuse to spend quality time with your dog while contributing to our understanding of how their amazing brains work.