Just like left- and right-handed people, dogs can favor one front paw over the other. But new research suggests a dog’s preferred paw can change depending on the task.
Scientists from the University of Bari in Italy evaluated 43 dogs using four tests: how the animal held a toy, reached for food, walked down stairs, and stepped off a platform. They found that many dogs used different paws for different activities.
Combining the test results, the team created the Doginburgh Inventory. It determines a dog’s overall paw preference. The tool could help researchers better understand how left or right “pawedness” is linked to dogs’ behavior, stress, confidence, and learning.