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  • Lassie would certainly free this suffering dog owner from her little cubicle.

  • But what about Ralph, the Pug?

  • He's one of 34 dogs that faced a similar test of empathy.

  • Help!

  • Kiki was another.

  • And there was KOOZA!

  • Help!

  • Each dog had to solve the same problem: What to do about an owner apparently trapped behind an easily opened door?

  • The dogs reacted in all sorts of ways.

  • Some became anxious and circled the room, repeatedly.

  • Others headed to a door at the back of the room where the researchers were, perhaps hoping for some human help.

  • Others just stared.

  • Some dog owners cried, indicating distress.

  • Help!

  • While others hummed "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and said "help" in a tone that carried no emotion.

  • Help.

  • Some of the dogs, like poor Kiki, were so anxious that they may have even interfered with their ability to act.

  • She was one of the dogs that didn't complete the test, as was the case with several others.

  • Overall, more than half the dogs opened the door.

  • Surprisingly, the dogs with crying owners didn't do any better than the ones with calm owners.

  • But speed told a different story.

  • The dogs with crying owners opened the door three times as fast.

  • Hello, my KOOZA! Yeah! All right.

  • But what happened to Ralph, the Pug?

  • Was it all too much for him?

  • Of course not.

  • Never underestimate a Pug.

Lassie would certainly free this suffering dog owner from her little cubicle.

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