The Colombian dog uses leaves in an unusual way and attracts the attention of Internet users from all over the world
Summary
A Colombian dog named Chester went viral after grabbing a leaf as payment for food, an act one expert explained as learning through observation and a common adaptation in street animals.
A video of a Colombian dog named Chester has gone viral on social media after he appeared using a sheet of paper as a form of payment to buy food at a small shop.
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In the images, the animal approaches the counter with a leaf in its mouth, leaves it on the surface and, wagging its tail happily, hopes that its gesture will be enough to guarantee the next meal.
Surprised by the scene, the owner of the club recorded the moment which, in a few days, won the hearts of thousands of Internet users all over the world.
However, it is not the first time that a puppy conquers social media with its cunning. A similar episode happened in 2018, again in Colombia, when a dog named Negro went viral for using leaves as “coins” to get snacks at a local school.
At the time, one of the employees further explained that Negro didn’t like biscuits, as he didn’t eat biscuits with cream. The situation was so touching that the school decided to adopt the dog.
How an animal behavior expert evaluates Chester’s action
João Oliveira, a specialist in canine behavior and working dogs, explained that Chester and Negro’s behavior could be linked to observational learning, a type of learning common in animals that acquire a great ability to adapt, something necessary in street animals, like Chester and Negro.
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According to him, street and herding dogs develop greater neuroplasticity, that is, the animal brain learns better through experiences.
“The dog observes an action, sees that it generates a positive consequence and tends to repeat the behavior. This is how they learn, simply by observing other animals or people”, explains the expert.
Oliveira also points out that this type of learning is different from classical conditioning, studied by Pavlov. In this case, the animal associates a neutral stimulus, such as a word or sound, with something that causes a natural response, such as hunger.
“After several repetitions, the stimulus begins to generate the same reaction, even without reinforcement, such as salivation when hearing a word that was previously neutral,” he exemplified.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
