When we think of creativity, we usually picture an artist painting or a musician composing a new song. You’re probably imagining a human, but what about your dog? Before calling us crazy, let’s take a closer look at the idea of creativity and how our dogs can express it.
Natural creativity
Dogs may not consciously create like humans, but many of their behaviors hint at creative thinking, for example:
- Creative Problem Solving
- When a canine opens a door with its nose or stacks pillows to reach the countertop, that’s not just mischief behavior; it’s resourcefulness. IAABC Foundation’s study on “Cognitive Revolution” showed that dogs often develop unique solutions to new challenges, demonstrating flexible thinking.
- Playtime Innovation
- Play is where a lot of canine creativity shines. Dogs invent new games, modify existing ones, and even come up with rules of their own! This improvisational play shows they’re capable of creating meaning in their actions.
- Emotional Expression
- While they don’t express themselves through words or drawings, dogs communicate emotions through body language, sounds, and behavior. We all know some even “pretend” for attention, which shows they know how to control different emotions.
The Role of Training
Canines can naturally explore and problem-solve, but with the right training, they can learn to channel their natural creativity into specific tasks like painting or even dancing!
According to a study by Christy Hoffman and Ellen McKinley from Canisius College, expanded in the 2023 article in Psychology Today, dogs can be trained to display precise and novel behaviors, which are the building blocks of creative expression.
In their study, dogs were taught to perform new and different actions in response to the command “do something new.” This encouraged them to move beyond repeating tricks and instead generate unique behaviors, which were then reinforced with praise and rewards. This proves that creativity in dogs can be trained, encouraged, and repeated, just like in humans learning how to write, draw, or make music.
How can you unlock your dog’s creative side?
You don’t need to be a scientist to help your dog become a little more expressive. Here are a few ways you can foster creativity at home.
- Teach the “Do Something New” Cue
- Start with tricks your dog already knows. Give the cue, and when your dog performs one, reward it. The next time, only reward a different trick. Over time, your dog will learn that trying new things earns rewards.
- Encourage Toy Exploration
- Rotate toys, offer new textures or challenges, and let your dog experiment. Puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, and DIY cardboard mazes let dogs solve problems and experiment freely.
- Try Canine Freestyle or Trick Combinations
- Dog sports like freestyle dancing or trick mashups (like spin, bow, then jump) encourage dogs to string actions together in fun, surprising ways.
- Let Them Paint!
- With paw-safe paint and canvas, your dog can be guided to create art using brushes, their paws, or tails. It’s messy fun, and a bonding experience as well!
Every dog has an inner artist. Creativity is about flexibility, originality, and expression, so when you see your dog expressing new behaviors, try encouraging it and see where it goes! With a bit of patience and the right cues, you just might have a new artist at home.