In a 2026 study, scientists scanned the brains of 12 awake dogs as they viewed human faces showing happiness, anger, fear and sadness, and found specialized neural activity for smiles while dogs could distinguish fear from anger and sadness

New findings suggest that dogs have developed specialized brain regions for identifying human emotions. Their brain activities reveal noticeable differences when responding to happiness compared to negative emotions. This ability to differentiate between fear, sadness, and anger is a product of their evolution alongside humans. By recognizing how dogs perceive emotions, we can enhance the quality of our interactions and improve their welfare.