When you struggle to twist open a stubborn jar, you might feel the familiar weight of your dog’s eyes on you. But according to new research from Kyoto University, those eyes—especially if they belong to a female dog—may be doing more than watching. They may be judging.

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The Study Behind the Side-Eye

In 2022, a team of researchers led by Hitomi Chijiiwa at Kyoto University published a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Behavioural Processes. The study explored whether dogs can evaluate the competence of humans by observing how they interact with objects.

The experiment was simple but telling: dogs were allowed to watch as two people tried to open a container. One person consistently succeeded in removing the lid, while the other consistently failed. After observing this scenario, the dogs were released to interact with the humans.

The results were striking. Eighty-three percent of the female dogs chose to approach the person who had successfully opened the container. Male dogs, however, showed no significant preference.

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What the Findings Mean

The takeaway is not that female dogs dislike men or that male dogs are indifferent. Rather, the results suggest that female dogs may be more attuned to evaluating human competence—at least when rewards are involved.

When the container held food, female dogs clearly gravitated toward the “competent” human. But when the container was empty, the effect disappeared. In other words, their judgment wasn’t arbitrary; it was situational. They were calculating who was most capable of accessing valuable resources.

This aligns with other research showing that dogs are sensitive observers of human behavior. They don’t just respond to commands or cues; they actively assess us, weighing factors like generosity, fairness, and now—competence.

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Why the Difference Between Males and Females?

One of the more intriguing aspects of the study is the gender split. Why did female dogs care more about human skill than males? The researchers did not offer a definitive answer, but several possibilities exist:

• Evolutionary roles: In wild canid groups, female members often take on crucial roles in resource allocation and survival strategies.

• Behavioral differences: Female dogs may be naturally more discerning in situations involving food or problem-solving.

• Hormonal influences: Differences in hormones may subtly shape how males and females perceive and prioritize information.

Further research will be needed to confirm these ideas, but the results open new avenues for understanding not just canine cognition, but also how gender may play a role in animal intelligence.

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More Than Just Pets

This study adds to a growing body of evidence that dogs are remarkably sophisticated social thinkers. Past studies have shown that dogs can detect fairness, read human emotions, and even sense when we’re paying attention or not.

Now, with this research, scientists argue that dogs—especially females—don’t just respond passively to humans but actively evaluate our competence in real time. That’s an extraordinary finding for a species we often think of as simple companions.

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What It Means for Dog Owners

For the average dog parent, the takeaway is both amusing and humbling: your dog may be watching you more closely than you think. If your female pup runs to your partner after he opens the treat jar while you fumble, it may not be personal—it’s simply canine logic at work.

And while dogs are not likely keeping mental scorecards of every household task, studies like this remind us that the bond between humans and dogs is built on mutual observation, trust, and judgment.

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A Glimpse Into Canine Minds

The Kyoto University study is one more step toward unraveling the mysteries of canine cognition. It demonstrates that dogs are not only capable of judging human behavior but may also use those judgments to guide their choices.

So the next time you catch your female dog giving you that side-eye, take it as motivation: she may not just be waiting for the treat—she may be waiting to see if you’re capable of delivering it.