We Can Learn Self-Control From Dogs

This research is hilariously, considering we are supposedly conscientious creatures and we tend to look down on dogs.

"The study, in the journal Psychological Science, confirms the notion that self-control is a limited resource, one that can and does get depleted. It also suggests this is not “a uniquely human process.

“Dogs given a glucose drink persisted in interacting with the toy whether or not they had had to exert self-control prior to the test,” the researchers report, adding the glucose apparently replenished the animal’s capacity to keep at the task.

Miller appreciates the irony in this finding, which suggests the way to replenish one’s self-control (say, to resist junk food) is to drink a sugary beverage. But she hastened to add she’s not recommending a trip to the soda aisle of 7-Eleven.

“All carbohydrates, once digested, are converted into glucose,” she said. “Some carbohydrates are digested quickly and have immediate effects (e.g. a glucose drink). Some are digested more slowly and have a longer lasting effect (e.g. apples).

“If I were translating this into the recipe for a good weight-loss intervention, I would advise people to eat when they are hungry and always choose foods that are low on the glycemic index. These foods will provide the brain with energy for longer durations of time and thus fuel the ability to inhibit eating unhealthy foods.”

So these experiments on dogs contain an interesting implication for humans: Willpower — presumably a foreign concept to canines – isn’t so much a question of character as it is one of biology.

“People can control their own behavior,” Miller said. “When they fail, it is not because they are terrible or weak; it is because they are depleted.

“They need to evaluate what they are eating in order to determine if they are eating wholesome food at regular intervals. And if they want better self-control, they can build it. They can encourage their bodies to store more self-control fuel via exercise.”

So, to conserve the fuel crucial to making smart choices, go out for a run. Better yet, take your dog."