So, what have dogs learned from living with humans? Apparently morals and a sense of fairness:
During one study, dogs which held up a paw were rewarded with a food treat.
When a lone dog was asked to raise its paw but received no treat, the researchers found it begged for up to 30 minutes.
But when they tested two dogs together but rewarded only one, the dog which missed out soon stopped playing the game.
Dr Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna, who led the study, said: 'Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity. I would prefer not to call it a sense of fairness, but others might.'
In a situation where that dog is alone however, he's the apple of the alpha's eye and thus there's no status rules to worry about.
Just my theory anyway.
So the dog who was not getting rewarded stopped trying to get rewarded? No kidding.
This is thought to be because the dog feels its unfair?
Maybe if the dog who WAS getting rewarded stopped playing. Feeling guilty that the other dog was not being treated fairly.
I think the dog is conditioned to know or think that no reward is coming, so why play. It has nothing to do with the other dog being rewarded.
I will go read the article now to see if this experiment is completely off base.