Dogswagtheirtailsindifferentdirectionsdependingonwhethertheyareexcitedandwantingtomoveforwardorthreatenedandthinkingofmovingback,astudyhasfound.研究发现,狗朝什么方向摇尾巴取决于他们是否兴奋,想要前进,还是受到威胁,想要后退.ResearchersinItalyexaminedthetailwaggingbehaviourof30dogs,catchingtheirresponsestoarangeofstimuliwithvideocamems.Toconductthestudytheychose15maledogsand15femaleonesagedbetweenoneandsixyears.ThedogswereallfamilypetswhoseownershadallowedthemtotakepartintheexperimentatBariUmversity.意大利的研究人员研究了30条狗的摇尾巴的行为方式,并用录象机捕捉他们对一系列刺激的反应.为了开展研究,他们选择了一至六岁阶段的15条公狗,15条母狗.这些狗全部都是家庭宠物,他们的主人许可他们参与BARI大学的研究实验.Thedogswereplacedinalargewoodenboxwithanopeningatthefronttoallowforthemtoviewvariousstimuli.Theyweretestedoneatatime.这些狗被放在一个前端有个开口的大木箱中,通过开口他们可以看到各种刺激.测试时每次一条狗.TheresearchersledbyProfessorGiorgioVallortigaraoftheUniversityofTriestefoundthatwhenthedogswereshowntheirowners—apositiveexpenence—theirtailswaggedenergeticallytotherightside.Whentheywereshownanunfamiliarhumantheywaggedtotheright,butwithsomewhatlessenthusiasm.由Trieste大学GiorgioVallortigara教授牵头的研究人员发现:当他们向主人有积极的表现时,会向右摆尾.当他们见到生人时,也会向右摆尾,只是不再那么热情.Theappearsofacatagaincausedaright-handsidewag,althoughwithlessintensityagain.Theappearanceofalargeunfamiliardog,similartoaGermanshepherd,changedthedirectionoftailwaggingtotheleft.Researcherssupposedthedogwasthinkingofmovingback.Whenthedogswerenotshownanystimulitheytendedtowagtheirtailstotheleft,suggestingtheypreferredcompany.看到猫也会让狗向右摆尾,虽然他们不太热情.看到一条不太熟悉的大狗,如一条德国牧羊犬,他会将摆尾方向转为左.研究人员认为他当时正想后退,当狗没有受到刺激时,他们会向左摆尾,表明他们更喜欢同伴.Whilethechangesinthetailwaggingwerenoteasilynoticedwithouttheaidofvideo,itwasthoughtthatthefindingscouldhelppeoplejudgethemoodofdogs.Computerandvideosystems,forexample,couldbeusedbyprofessionaldogtrainerstodeterminethemoodofdogsthattheywererequiredtoapproach.若没有录象的帮助,摇尾的变化不易为人注意到,有人认为,这一发现有助于帮助人们判断狗的情绪.专业的训狗人员可以利用电脑系统判断他们想要接触的狗的情绪.