Effect of Attentional Bias on the 3D Rotated Objects Recognition Ability of Dogs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The visual recognition of objects with different spatial orientations has been observed in the animal kingdom. This ability allows animals to adapt efficiently to a changing environment. A recent study indicated that dogs might be capable of recognizing rotated 2D objects, although differences between individuals were observed. To investigate dogs’ abilities to recognize rotated objects further, we trained six dogs to discriminate between 3D objects and their rotated versions (45° and 180°), which were presented on a computer screen. Our results revealed that dogs recognized three-dimensional objects and their rotated versions, and performed better when the target stimuli were presented in the left side of their attentional visual field, indicating the possible role of cerebral lateralization in mental rotation tasks. ABSTRACT: The ability to recognize rotated objects has been widely reported in the animal kingdom. Studies on animal and human spatial cognition highlighted the importance of visuo-spatial cognitive capability for surviving in a dynamic world. Although domestic animals are frequently involved in activities requiring a high level of visuo-spatial ability, currently, little is known about their visuo-spatial skills. To investigate this issue, we trained six dogs to discriminate between 3D objects (using a modified version of the Shepard–Metzler task) that were then reproduced digitally on a computer. We found that the dogs recognized three-dimensional objects and their rotated versions (45° and 180°) more easily when presented on the left side of the screen, suggesting right hemisphere superiority in the control of visuo-spatial functions. Moreover, we report inter-individual variability in their performance in the visuo-spatial task. Our preliminary results suggest that dogs could use a rotational invariance process for the discrimination of 3D rotated shapes that deserves further investigation.