Can Dogs look up?

It seems that the question of whether dogs can look up? is bringing hundreds of people to dots and spaces. Google lists me as an authority, but I'm afraid I don't have much to go on. There might be a clue here, but someone pointed out that this might be due to not letting go of the rock. In the meantime, detailed research is being held at bugs, if you want to find a site that has tons of "SOTD" and "Spaced" information, then look no further than Spaced Out. Anyway, a quick straw poll shows that we're mostly divided on the subject of dogs looking up, please feel free to contribute to the debate.

*After all this time talking about this subject, the first photo has finally arrived...and its not conclusive. Is the dog merely looking forward towards the person with the dodgy camera phone?

Matt explains more: After seeing Shaun of the Dead again, I made an AIM screen name "dogsCANNOTlookup", after several dog owners argued with me about a dog's ability to look up, I agreed. Then I wondered: had my dog ever looked up?

I did a www.ask.com search and came across your beautiful debate on the subject. After reading through the many amused comments, I decided to check my old pictures of the Anti-Christ Pomeranians my mom owns, I came across this single photo. I'm not convinced dogs can look straight up though. I will try to get my dogs to look up and send a more convincing picture in time.

- thanks Matt...

Comments

[Steve Floyd]

I have 2 dogs and they look up quite often (and I can supply pictures if you need proof) but I've never seen them walk side ways - So my question to you is can dogs walk side ways?

[sc]

Hello Mr Floyd,

Yes, absolutely, please supply images - and I will post them. Are you sure your not getting confused with dogs merely looking forward? think on...

[lucy]

i've never seen a dog look up or walk sideways but my cat can do both. according to simon pegg dogs can look up, but according to more people they can't. i personally don't think they can.

[Rage]

"Due to the construction of a dogs neck and spine, it is physically impossible for them to look upwards. In order for a dog to look up at something high they must assume the sitting position"

Taken from "Dog Training Obedience & Behavior Moddifications"

http://www.about-dogs.com/dog_training_obedience.htm

[sc]

Thank you for your tip - I will have a look - Floydie says he's got some photos of his dog looking up, so I might post it. I'm with you, I think his dogs are sitting.

s

[Peter Wise]

I've never seen a dog actually looking upwards whilstnot sitting. watching the film "Shaun of the dead" mdae me think about the topic.

[me]

they can't move their eyes to look up, but they move their heads so that they can look up.just like we cnt c behind us, we move our head round

[sc]

Thanks for all your comments - this entry has been the most popular, every week I get loads of hits just from people typing this into Google.

I still don't feel any closer to knowing whether Dogs do look up?

[James]

If they can look up and people have seen this, then where are the pictures to prove it!!!! This to me proves that they can't look up. End of story.

[Leon]

My girlfriend's Mum's dog walks sideways. It has arthiritis, and walks like a crab.

I'm sure my dog looks up when I dangle a dog chew above it, but thinking about it, I think it is always sitting down, thereby moving it's whole body to be able to look up.

Were dogs the tallest animals around in their environment at a key point in their evolution, I wonder?

[J D]

They can't. Only when a dog sits down thay can look up. Although maybe due to us teaching them to sit to get a treat maybe dogs can look up buyt thay expect a reward for sitting and looking up.God dogs are greedy!

[Jim]

I hope they can't look up because if they ever turned against us, it would give us the advantage

[Bob]

I have to admit i have never really noticed a dog looking up but if they can they might take over the world! i think, to stop this eventual huminliation of the human race, we should treat dogs with the best steak and walk them twice as much so they dont have to take over the world.
if dogs dont take over the world you can thank me for the great advice, of course that may leave the world open to alien invasion!

[Emma]

I HAVE SEEN DOGS LOOK UP AND THEY CAN ALSO WEAR CLOTHES AND TALK - TWO LEGS BAD FOUR LEGS GOOD! IN CASE YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS THAT IS A QUOTE FROM ANIMAL FARM THE ORACLE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE KEEP TREATING ANIMALS BADLY!

[Mrs Moody]

Mmmm...all interesting stuff, my husband and I are just about to get a Basenji - an African dog that cannot bark but which communicates with other dogs through a complicated strategy of scratches, whilst walking sideways and looking up. We're rather concerned about how we'll take him for a walk, but what the hell, he needs a good home....

[Dr. F last]

"medial levator anguli oculi" is the muscle that canines use to move the eyeball in a vertical pitch....

[Dr. F last]

Sorry my wife says i need to make it clear,

all dogs CAN (and do)look up..

[Maggie and Stryder]

We loved doing this experiment with our people. Lots of cookies were used for scientific research and YES we could look up from a standing position as well as a sitting position!

[dots]

Hi - i'm glad that this is still a hot topic - I think we need to expand it, so I invite you all to email me at dots.spaces@gmail.com and send me photos - this is what we need and I will will post them up on the site once and for all.

[Prof]

I think a more important question is......who really cares? Not me because I have a tasty biscuit and a cup of tea.......BYE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Phil]

My dog looks up from standing - Correct. He can also go sidewards - Correct? Well actually no, as he can only move one end sidewards at a time. But he can go backwards, both ends together.

[Jason]

After seeing the movie "Shaun of the Dead", i'm going to have to agree with Big Al in the belief that dogs cannot look up!

[zoe cooper]

how in the hell can a dog talk somone tell me that one please

[lee mcphail]

so if dogs can look up walk sidways and talk if that is in any way posibale then why doesnt mine im the only one it barks at does that mean hes talkin to me if so then i need to lay of the drugs lol

[Leanne]

I saw 'Shaun of the Dead' and that got me wondering wether dogs can look up but most of you people have convinced me that they can!! Anyways if dogs did take over the world then I will fly to the moon and live there!! Anyone with me?? Lets hope so!!!