Toddlers are more likely to help a dog reach a treat than a toy, especially if it has shown interest in the nibble.

The findings come as a part of a study that looked at whether youngsters were likely to impulsively help a pet.

Researchers found that a group of children aged two to three were twice as likely to help a dog reach a treat or toy when the animal showed interest than if it did not.

. . .

Lead scientist Dr Rachna Reddy, a postdoctoral fellow in evolutionary anthropology at Duke University in North Carolina, said: “These findings lend support to our hypothesis that children’s early-developing proclivities for goal-reading and pro-sociality extend beyond humans to other animals.”

Read the complete article in The Independent