By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – An Illinois Wesleyan professor is trying to get inside the mind of man’s best friend.

Professor Ellen Furlong is looking for more dog owners to lend their canines for a series of cognitive studies, measuring things such as self-control, decision-making and knowing the difference between right and wrong.

“They are a huge part of your lives and yet we know very little about them,” Furlong said.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Furlong on WJBC.

Furlong told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, the better we can understand dogs the more likely we can keep them out of shelters or from becoming euthanized.

She added the tests involve things such as watching a puppet show, playing with toys, earning treats and even using a touchscreen computer. One exam is an adaptation of the marshmallow test given to kids.

Dogs are given a choice between eating kibble first while a more appetizing piece of jerky is further away.

“You have to wait for a better reward,” Furlong said.

The marshmallow test shows children willing to wait for a second marshmallow are more likely to make better choices when they get older. Furlong wonders whether the same would apply to dogs.

Each test takes about 30 minutes. The studies will go on throughout the summer.

You can get more information on the study here.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].