Paws for Thought

DOGS can in fact be left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous. A 2006 study from the University of Manchester in England showed 50 per cent of dogs preferred their right paw and 50 per cent preferred leading with their left. There are a few tests to decipher the orientation of your pet.

When your dog ‘shakes hands’, note which paw it offers first and most often?

Fill a toy with something delicious and put it in the center of the dog’s visual field.

Which paw does it use to touch the toy first? Which paw does the dog use to hold the toy?

Put something sticky on a dog or cat’s nose. Which paw does the animal use to remove it?

Place a treat or a piece of cheese under a sofa, just beyond a pet’s reach. Which paw does it use to try and get it out?