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How to Tell If Your Dog Is Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed, According to Science

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14.06.2026

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How to Tell If Your Dog Is Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed, According to Science

A dog’s paw preference could impact its stress responses, its overall behavior, and even its level of cognition.

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Some mysteries have plagued humanity since we first climbed down from the trees. Questions like: What is the meaning of life? And, perhaps more importantly, can dogs be left- or right-pawed?

According to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, the answer is yes. Dogs appear to have a preferred paw, much like humans have a dominant hand. More importantly, researchers have developed a way to figure out whether your dog is left-pawed, right-pawed, or has no preference.

Scientists have long known that many animals show signs of laterality, aka the tendency to favor one side of the body over the other. In dogs, however, measuring that preference has been........

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