On being a dogOn being a dog
All In The Mind
If you love your pet dog, do they love you? This question intrigued Professor of Neuroscience Gregory Berns. He wanted to know what it’s really like to be a dog—if they feel the same emotions and have similar thoughts to us. So he persuaded his own dog to get into an MRI machine for a brain scan. He’s now trained 100 dogs to go into the scanner and they think it’s a fun game.
38:56•23 Dec 2018
On Being a Dog: Inside Canine Brains, Feelings and Everyday Chaos
Episode Overview
- Gregory Burns describes how around 100 dogs were gently trained to see MRI scanning as a game, with the option to walk away at any time.
- Brain scans suggest many dogs value social praise from their owner as much as food, pointing to a strong bond beyond simple reward.
- Research on dog impulse control links activity in the frontal lobe to a dog’s ability to stop themselves, which has clear implications for training and rehoming.
- Owners’ stories highlight how fear, anxiety, affection and apparent guilt in dogs may involve both their past experiences and sensitivity to human emotion.
- Seeing how similar canine and human emotional circuits are has led Burns to rethink how animals are used in research and how they’re treated in daily life.
“"It’s not all about the treats and the food we give them."”
What drives someone to ask, "What is it really like to be a dog?" That question sends this episode of All In The Mind down a wonderfully curious path into canine brains, feelings and everyday dog drama. Neuroscientist Professor Gregory Burns from Emory University talks about his "dog project", where he's trained around 100 dogs to lie happily in an MRI scanner.
He explains how he first started with his own dog, Callie, and turned the frightening noise and tight space of the scanner into a game: "The whole idea was to essentially make it a fun game for the dogs." Crucially, he stresses that the dogs are free to walk out at any time. Using brain scans, Burns compares dogs’ responses to food with their responses to simple praise from their owners.
Many dogs, he says, show equal brain activity for both, suggesting that "it’s not all about the treats and the food we give them" and that the social bond matters hugely too. He also shares research on impulse control, showing how a dog’s frontal lobe helps them put the brakes on, and why problems with self‑control can land dogs in shelters. The episode mixes science with everyday dog life.
Dog owners Neo, Eleni, Ben and Lenny share stories of Daisy the impulsive dalmatian and Lupe the anxious rescue, wondering if their dogs feel love, guilt, fear or empathy – and what’s really going on when a dog “looks guilty” beside a chewed shoe.
Burns reflects on how seeing dogs’ emotional and reward circuits – so similar to humans’ – has changed how he treats animals, from diet choices to research ethics: the dogs in his studies are treated as volunteers, not test subjects. If you’ve ever looked into your dog’s eyes and thought, "What’s happening in there?", this gentle, funny and science‑rich conversation gives you plenty to think about. Could understanding dogs’ minds change how you see your own feelings too?
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