Crosspost from https://lemmy.world/post/13527741
this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
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Pigs are better problem solvers than dogs, that doesn't mean they're carte blanche smarter. Dogs have a level of social intelligence and selected-for ability to interact with humans that no other species does.
Pigs definitely have a social intelligence that at least rivals those of dogs, if it doesn’t surpass it. Just because we keep them in a way that traumatises them from an early age on, doesn’t mean pigs aren’t socially intelligent. Wild boar and the like form highly complex social structures and are quite able to communicate in between one another. The only thing pigs actually express more than dogs is the utter disregard for anything but their own survival when under duress. This however might be explained by the way they reproduce. Pigs are K-Strategists, whereas dogs aren’t.
And cows have a very high emotional intelligence and are also extremely social creatures.
The best piece of literature I've seen regarding cow intelligence and social capacity was measured in terms of their ability to bond and empathize with other cows, their ability to bond with humans didn't come close to that of dogs
Rats form extremely close bonds with their human companions, and anecdotally I have family in Mexico who have told me about their cows that have tried cheering them up when they were sad.
I see what you're saying, but when we say "smarter" in English and we typically mean problem solving, not social skills.