HOW DO DOGS KNOW THE WAY HOME? HOMING INSTINCT REMAINS A ‘DELIGHTFUL’ MYSTERY
Source: CapeTalk (Extract)
Posted: November 3, 2020
There are many dogs who have made headlines for their homing instincts, but not all of them have it.
A dog that was presumed lost in China found its way home after walking more than 60 kilometres over a 26-day journey.
CapeTalk listeners have also shared remarkable stories of pets that travelled long distances to return to their owners.
So, do all dogs have a homing instinct? Animal behaviourist Karis Nafte says the truth is that some dogs do and some dogs don’t.
There are many different theories about the science behind homing instincts.
Some people believe that dogs rely on familiar scents, others argue that dogs can transfer their territorial instinct to their owner’s home, while some are convinced that they use the earth’s magnetic field.
Although certain domestic dogs can be trained and bred to have ‘tracking’ instincts, Nafte says the homing ability of dogs is usually the exception and not the norm.